Issue No.79
SOLENIS
Unique chemistry-based solutions.
BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB Leading the charge to a circular economy with EPS materials.
COOPLANDS
SPECIAL FEATURE: A TIME FOR COLLABORATION
How they grew to become the second-largest bakery business in the UK.
KAMOA KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
FORGING
AHEAD
Exclusive interview with CEO Mark Farren on one of the biggest copper mining projects in the world, ahead of schedule despite the pandemic.
HELEN LTD.
Heading towards a carbon-neutral future by meeting customers needs.
T H E
M A G A Z I N E
W I T H
I N S I G H T
FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS CONTACT SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
PROJECT MANAGERS ANDREW BOURKE a.bourke@ceomediagroup.com DAVID GARNER d.garner@ceomediagroup.com TIMOTHY GARWOOD t.garwood@ceomediagroup.com JOHN HOLLIMAN j.holliman@ceomediagroup.com MALVERN KANDEMWA m.kandemwa@ceomediagroup.com GLEN NEWTON g.newton@ceomediagroup.com MARK REYNOLDS m.reynolds@ceomediagroup.com JAMES RICHARDSON j.richardson@ceomediagroup.com GARY SMITH g.smith@ceomediagroup.com NEIL STOWE n.stowe@ceomediagroup.com DAVID TAVERNOR d.tavernor@ceomediagroup.com ETHAN THOMPSON e.thompson@ceomediagroup.com JAMIE WAITE j.waite@ ceomediagroup.com
DESIGN SCOTT ANDREWS design@ceomediagroup.com SARAH GREEN artwork@ceomediagroup.com
ACCOUNTS MIKE ASHER accounts@ceomediagroup.com
PRODUCTION KAMILA KAJTOCH production@ceomediagroup.com
EDITORIAL CHRIS FARNELL cfarnell@ceomediagroup.com JIM HUNTER editor@ceomediagroup.com
SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR TREVOR GRETSINGER t.gretsinger@ceomediagroup.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS, PRESS RELEASES AND GENERAL ENQUIRIES: info@ceomediagroup.com
The content of this magazine is copyright of CEO Media Group. Redistribution or reproduction of any content is prohibited. © Copyright 2020 CEO Media Group.
FOCUS ON
COLLABORATION As we enter October here at Business Focus Magazine we are thinking about building. Partly to rebuild after the crisis of the last six months, partly to build for the future.
T
his issue we have been talking to a number construction company, including Civmec, the National Engineering Bureau, and Tophat Industries, who are all involved in exciting projects. But the construction industry is not the only sector engaged in building right now. We are also talking with manufacturers such as BEWI Synbra and Vitafoam Nigeria, and consumer goods suppliers including Angostura, Cooplands and Sons, Lotte Wedel. In our lead feature this month we talk about the energy sector, where collaboration between partners such as governments and businesses, or the renewable and oil & gas sectors, is creating some fantastic opportunities for the future. Indeed, within these pages, you will find profiles of Helen Ltd, Solenis, Sonnedix and Namcor. We have also been taking an in-depth look at businesses across the mining sector, including projects and companies such as the African Gold Group, Argonaut Gold, Bushveld Minerals, the Kamoa Kakula Copper Project, SolGold, and Wiluna Mining. What is fascinating about many of these projects is that even as they are situated in remote locations where the COVID pandemic has not yet reached them, they still face indirect consequences thanks to the interconnectedness of industries, economies and communities.
That interconnectedness, far from being a weakness, is essential for businesses across the world, and we have been talking with Hamad and Sheremetyevo International Airport as well as the shipping company, Polarcus, about how they are maintaining those connections through this difficult time. You can also find articles in here about Alhamrani Universal and Helios Towers, communication companies that are keeping us connected even when we are isolating ourselves. As we said at the beginning, the unifying theme between all these businesses is that even during challenging times they are attempting to build something, and connect.
ON THE COVER
Kamoa Kakula Copper Project Go to page 16.
Issue No.79
SOLENIS
Unique chemistry-based solutions.
BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB Leading the charge to a circular economy with EPS materials.
COOPLANDS
SPECIAL FEATURE: A TIME FOR COLLABORATION
How they grew to become the second-largest bakery business in the UK.
KAMOA KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
FORGING
AHEAD
Exclusive interview with CEO Mark Farren on one of the biggest copper mining projects in the world, ahead of schedule despite the pandemic.
HELEN LTD.
Heading towards a carbon-neutral future by meeting customers needs.
3
IN THIS ISSUE
8
13
16
44 50
56 62
EVENT
Africa Energy Forum The Digital Energy Festival 20th October - 13th November Online Event Africa’s largest, all-encompassing digital energy platform.
NEWS
8
Energy Sector A Time for Collaboration
16
LEADING ARTICLE
Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project Forging Ahead
AVIATION, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Hamad International Airport A New Era Takes Flight
Sheremetyevo International Airport Aiming High
COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY Alhamrani Universal Seamless Digital Experience
68
Helios Towers Towering Ambition
50
CIVMEC A Growing Operation
74
National Engineering Bureau Making Success Feasible
78
Tophat Modular Excellence
84
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Helen Ltd. Driven by the Customer
100
Solenis Chemical Reactions
114
Sonnedix Sunny Side Up
120
4 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
CONSTRUCTION
FINANCE & CONSULTING Guardrisk Mauritius A Captive Audience
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
ISSUE NO.79
124
FMCG
Angostura Caribbean Masters of Flavour
132
Cooplands and Sons Bread for Success
142
Lotte Wedel A Golden Ticket to Success
148
154 166
170
132
HEALTHCARE, HOTEL & LEISURE Mathys Ltd. Bettlach Preserving Mobility
MANUFACTURING
BEWISynbra Group AB Closing the Circle
142
Vitafoam Nigeria Plc Resting Easy
MINING
African Gold Group A Golden Opportunity
176
Argonaut Gold Transforming for a Golden Future
182
Bushveld Minerals The Future of Vanadium
190
Solgold A World-Class Copper-Gold Project
194
Wiluna Mining Corporation Limited Enter the Golden Era
198
154 BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
202
OIL & GAS
Namcor Namibia’s Own Oil
SHIPPING, PORT & MARINE Polarcus Exploration & Opportunity
BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 5
Find your way out of a complex operating model.
Let’s talk. Operations Strategy | Digital | Cultural Engineering
Global io
- integrated operations experts.
globalio.com
EVENT OF THE MONTH
THE 5TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: TECHNOLOGY – PURPOSE – INCLUSIVITY
THE DIGITAL ENERGY FESTIVAL EVENT: AFRICA ENERGY FORUM WHERE: ONLINE / WHEN: 20TH OCT – 13TH NOV, 2020
8 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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EVENT OF THE MONTH
T
he ‘Digital Energy Festival’ unites the Africa Energy Forum, the Oil & Gas Council, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa under one banner, bringing you Africa’s largest, allencompassing digital energy platform. Experts representing upstream oil & gas, power, energy, manufacturing, trade and mining will deliver critical business updates and information for Africa’s energy professionals, helping you stay at the forefront of innovation as Africa looks ahead to the 5th Industrial Revolution. Access a world of content and AI-powered networking through intimate board rooms, fireside chats, digital dialogues, coffee mornings, online awards, country spotlights, masterclasses, digitaleducation, certified learning, online sales and lead generation via the digital marketplace.
Six weeks – four events – one platform – all at a click of your mouse. www.africa-energy-forum.com/
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BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 9
lead wıth the leader Today, Internet is in our pockets; our virtual and real worlds are coming together. LTE offers you great potential to deliver a superior mobile broadband experience to your customers, but the stakes are high. Success in LTE means getting to market quickly, with services that offer subscribers more than what they have today, as cost efficiently as possible. With 60 live commercial LTE networks on all continents and about 50% of all smartphone traffic on LTE running through our networks, we have what it takes to support you.
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ENERGY SECTOR
AS AROUND THE WORLD PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO REBUILD AFTER THE FIRST WAVE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE ENERGY SECTOR IS ONE THAT COULD PLAY A KEY ROLE.
A TIME FOR COLLABORATION The beginning of the coronavirus pandemic seems like a long time ago now, but even in the first few weeks of the pandemic experts were looking at how the global economy might recover from a crisis that has reached into every aspect of life and business.
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
I
n April the International Renewable Energy Agency released its first Global Renewables Outlook, arguing that advancing the renewablesbased energy transformation was not only a way to meet international climate goals but a chance to boosting economic growth, creating millions of jobs
and improving human welfare. While the report argued decarbonisation would require a total energy investment with costs up to USD 130 trillion, the socio-economic gains of that investment would boost cumulative global GDP gains above business-as-usual by USD 98 trillion between now
BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 13
ENERGY SECTOR
and 2050. Knock-on effects of the investment would include quadrupling renewable energy jobs to 42 million and expanding employment in energy efficiency to 21 million while adding 15 million jobs to the system flexibility sector. IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera said, “Governments are facing a difficult task of bringing the health emergency under control while introducing major stimulus and recovery measures. The crisis has exposed deeply embedded vulnerabilities of the current system. IRENA’s Outlook shows the ways to build more sustainable, equitable and resilient economies by aligning short-term recovery efforts with the medium-and long-term objectives of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.” “By accelerating renewables and making the energy transition an integral part of the wider recovery, governments can achieve multiple economic and social objectives in the pursuit of a resilient future that leaves nobody behind.” Looking at energy and socioeconomic transition paths in ten regions around the world,
the report found all regions would be expected to see higher shares of renewable energy use. All of these regions significantly increase their welfare and see net job gains in the energy sector despite losses in fossil fuels. However, beyond the benefits of renewable energy, there was one strong recurring theme in this report that resonates beyond the renewables sector to the whole energy industry. The importance of large-scale collaboration. The report argued for stronger coordination on international, regional and domestic levels, with financial support being directed where needed including to the most vulnerable countries and communities.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
We’re starting to see what that cooperation might look like already. This September Israel and the United Arab Emirates discussed cooperation across the energy sector through a remote meeting by video conference. The meeting was between Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Yuval Steinitz, Israeli Minister of Energy, and covered the
bilateral ties between the two nations and how they could be reinforced and leveraged in the sectors of energy and infrastructure. In the course this meeting Al Mazrouei presented the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the UAE’s first unified energy plan to maintain the balance between production and consumption while meeting global environmental commitments, with the ultimate goal of creating a favourable economic environment for overall growth. At the same time as this meeting was taking place, Ukraine’s Acting Energy Minister signed a memorandum of cooperation in the energy sector. The Minister, Olha Buslavets signed the agreement with Executive Director of the state institution UkraineInvest, Serhiy Tsivkach.
“PARTNERSHIPS ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT.”
14 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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ENERGY SECTOR
“As part of reforming the energy sector and transforming it into a ‘clean’, ‘green’, decarbonized sector of the economy, given the development of renewable energy sources, one of the main challenges today is the need for attracting significant investment,” said Buslavets of the agreement. These sorts of partnerships, collaborations and relationships are a recurring theme throughout the sector, with the energy businesses we’ve covered in this issue of Business Focus Magazine each talking about the ways they’ve worked with government and private organisations alike. “Partnerships are obviously very important. I would stress there are two kinds of partnership which are of importance,” says Juha-Pekka Weckström, CEO of Finnish energy company Helen Ltd. “One is the power plant suppliers. We have trusted brands and good technology providers and businesses who can help us in making the carbon-neutral objective a reality.”
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The company has also worked closely with partners such as Sumitomo SHI FW, a provider of energy and environmental technologies and services focusing on high efficiency and flexible generation of energy, and Gradyent, a Dutch startup and Helen Venture’s recent investment, that develops heat production with artificial intelligence. Helen has also been collaborating closely with institutions outside of the sector, such as its clean energy solutions customer, the Korkeasaari Zoo. Meanwhile, Solenis has worked with the salesforce.com platform and ValueAdvantage software to track every customer project to ensure their customers receive a minimum five per cent return on investment, showing how these partnerships can generate value across the energy value chain. “For every one of these projects, we intend to deliver and document this value every year. In most instances, we exceed our targets,” says John Panichella, CEO of Solenis.
A FESTIVAL OF COLLABORATION
This issue we will also be covering the Digital Energy Festival, which is a perfect demonstration of what the energy sector can achieve when it works together. At a time when major businesses in the sector are cutting back on oil and gas projects and securing financing is becoming more difficult, industry leaders and experts are coming together to ask what access to capital will look like in Africa in a post-COVID-19 world, and how public markets can play a role in supporting the industry. The festival also has panels discussing how governments and upstream companies can create an environment which attracts necessary infrastructure investment and looks at the potential of partnerships in the field of hybrid corporate financing following the success of the landmark first in class financing to Nigeria LNG Limited. Some of these partnerships and collaborations may seem unorthodox at first glance, but it’s by building these bridges that the energy sector can help to lift the entire economy.
BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 15
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
WE LEARN HOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST COPPER MINING PROJECTS IN THE WORLD IS NOT BEING SLOWED DOWN BY THE PANDEMIC, IN FACT, IT IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
FORGING AHEAD PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN
The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining Group (39.6%), Crystal River Global Limited (0.8%) and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (20%). An ambitious mining project, it has been named the world’s largest, undeveloped, high-grade copper discovery by international mining consultant Wood Mackenzie.
16 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
T
he project itself is situated on a series of very large, ultra-highgrade, near-surface, flat-lying, stratiform copper deposits, with adjacent prospective exploration areas, within the Central African Copperbelt, approximately 25 kilometres west of the town of Kolwezi and about 270 kilometres west of the provincial capital of Lubumbashi.
First material to surface using the new Rock Handling System
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MINOVA AFRICA THE FUTURE OF ROCK SUPPORT FOR KAMOA-KAKULA PROJECT Minova Africa has been serving the mining industry since 1975, providing rock support products and services. Their innovative and hands-on approach has helped to enhance the safety of the African mining industry. This year, they are celebrating five years of working on the Kamoa-Kakula project and they are looking forward into the future, to develop new solutions for African hard rock mining. KAMOA PARTNERSHIP Minova is proud to be associated with the Kamoa-Kakula project, which is one of the world’s largest and most exciting copper mining prospects. Their partnership with Kamoa-Kakula, in the Katanga Province of the DRC, goes back to the very beginning, when they supplied their resin capsules and rock bolts to support the first declines on the Kamoa site. Minova has continued to be the supplier of choice for the rock support systems, which are essential to ensure the safety of mine employees and the long-term stability of the mine excavations. With the remoteness of the mine, Kamoa needed a reliable supplier who was able to provide proven and reliable product solutions, delivered consistently on time, despite a relatively complex supply chain. Minova has underpinned its product supply with technical site visits, where they provided their expertise to Kamoa. Their commitment does not stop there. Kamoa-Kakula will be a technically advanced mine. Minova is actively collaborating with the mine management and engineering staff to introduce their world-leading solutions, such as fully mechanised rock bolting, glass-fibre rock bolts and Tekcrete® immediate-setting rock surface protection. LOCAL PRESENCE, GLOBAL EXPERTISE Minova’s support for the Kamoa-Kakula project is built on their established presence in Africa, where mines have been using Minova products for over 45 years. This presence has been strengthened, since Minova became part of the Orica Group. Orica, the world’s leader in mining explosives, has operations in South Africa, DRC, Namibia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. Minova itself operates in over 40 countries around the globe, providing mining customers with a full range of rock support products including: steel and glass-fibre rock bolts, resin and cement grouts and injection chemicals for void filling, stopping water and gas inflows. Globally, Minova has over 135 years of experience in providing ground support products. Supported by international research and development teams, Minova introduced products including Lokset® resin capsules, Bevedan®/ Bevedol® injection resins and Tekseal® foam grouts, all of which have become staples of mining activities around the globe. Minova has recently introduced its European manufactured dry Xanthates flotation products to the copper, zinc and lead mining industries. The dry Xanthates complement their range of wet Xanthates, which they have been supplying to KGHM copper mines
in Poland for over 40 years, improving ore recovery and increasing extraction levels. As part of the Orica Group, they also actively collaborate with our sister businesses such as Orica blasting services and GroundProbe’s scanning technology, to further increase the level of expertise and suite of technology offered to their customers. Current collaboration projects include their Tekstem® stemming products which are used with Orica’s next generation WebGen wireless initiating systems in block and sub-level cave type mines to ensure optimum blast performance. Their work with GroundProbe on their latest underground GML lidar scanning technology provides immediate critical and accurate data on sprayed linings and convergence monitoring of rock support. Minova technical teams are in the field with their customers, helping them to apply the right solutions and solving their existing problems, while developing the answers to tomorrow’s ground support challenges. ENGINEERING THE FUTURE Minova is a member of the South African and Zimbabwean National Institutes for Rock Engineering (SANIRE, ZINIRE) and participated in the founding of a national group for the DRC, at its inaugural meeting in Lubumbashi in November 2017. They are committed to driving product innovation and providing new solutions to the global and African mining industries. Their latest solution for the hard rock mining sector is the UniPass bolting system. It combines their patented hollow self-drilling rock bolts and CarboThix® pumpable resins to provide significant safety, productivity and quality improvements. The UniPass™ bolting system can be used even in the face of the most challenging conditions, such as highly friable rock and seismic activity. With South Africa’s concentration of deep level gold mines, Minova Africa’s recent development focus has been on dynamic yielding bolts. The latest version – designed for a specific customer – passed its qualification tests at the Central Mining Institute in Poland in April 2020 and will be launched in the coming months. Minova looks forward to working on the Kamoa-Kakula project in the years to come, strengthening its partnership and providing innovative technologies and solutions that will help propel KamoaKakula to become a global leader in mining safety and productivity.
Minova provides technical on-site support to mines throughout Africa. www.minovaglobal.com
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
Mark Farren, CEO & Rochelle de Villiers, CFO.
Last year, in February, the project announced positive findings from an independent pre-feasibility study for the development of the Kakula copper mine as well as an updated, expanded preliminary economic assessment for the overall development plan of the Kamoa and Kakula copper discoveries at the KamoaKakula Project on the Central African Copperbelt. “In a nutshell, we are executing our first project, Phase One of the Kakula Mine, which has developed quickly considering it’s a big underground operation with the first production expected Q3 2021,” explains Mark Farren, CEO of the mine. “Our first ore grade will be about 6% copper on average. Kamoa-Kakula was ranked as the largest and highest-grade unmined discovery in the world and it should be one of the top copper producers in the world at steady state.” The Kakula Mine is the first of multiple, planned mining areas at Kamoa-Kakula, and so far, the project is making excellent
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progress. As Farren says, initial copper production at the Kakula Mine is scheduled to begin in next year’s third quarter. That is a great deal of progress given that in the third quarter of last year Kakula was just completing basic engineering and procurement, raising their initial processing plant capacity from 3.0 Mtpa to 3.8 Mtpa. This expansion of the plant’s initial capacity has meant that this year the number of underground mining crews has grown from 11 to 14 to ensure sufficient mining operations to keep the expanded plant fed and create pre-production stockpiles of approximately 1.5 million tonnes of high-grade ore alongside an additional 700,000 tonnes of material grading approximately 1% to 3% copper. This will enable the processing plant to ramp up quickly, maintaining a steadystate throughput of 3.8 Mtpa. However, a project of this scale brings its own challenges with it, particularly in this day and age. “It’s a greenfield project in an African country, so the normal
issues apply. It can be politically quite challenging, although we’ve had excellent support from all levels of government,” Farren says. “COVID-19 is the biggest challenge most mining companies are facing. We have about 5,000 people on site constructing the mine and the COVID statistics here are very low compared to many other countries.” The biggest challenge, as is common for a project this big, was naturally funding.
“KAMOA-KAKULA WAS RANKED AS THE LARGEST AND HIGHESTGRADE UNMINED DISCOVERY IN THE WORLD AND IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE TOP COPPER PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD AT STEADY STATE.” BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 21
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
First Ore on the new Rock Handling System.
22 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT “At the beginning, the main challenge was securing the funding. We’ve been lucky to have two very strong Chinese companies, invest in the project,” Farren says. “It’s a big project involving significant capital – as well as other issues to deal with. We are not just building a mine; we are also upgrading a hydropower station, constructing electrical power lines and substations, and building new roads. Progress has been solid in all areas so far.”
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
On the mining front, things have been going better than planned, with the Kakula Copper Mine underground development 5.1 kilometres ahead of schedule at the end of June, with more than 17 kilometres of the mine now complete. May marked the mine’s fifth consecutive monthly development record set after achieving 1,868 metres, 535 metres ahead of plan for the month. As well as the actual mining, the manufacture of equipment for the process plant continues apace. Ball mills and other key equipment are being fabricated for Kakula’s 3.8-million-tonne-perannum processing plant and shipment to the site has already begun. All major equipment for the processing plant is either onsite or en route to the site. As this happens the Kakula Mine has begun mining in some of its high-grade mining areas. That ore is being stored in a dedicated, high-grade surface stockpile that at the end of July
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BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE | 23
SOSTEC SARL is a process maintenance and services company, based in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo. We specialize in industrial maintenance for process plants, underground and open pit mining. We are experienced in SMP and in several kinds of rubber lining works, such as replacement lining & pump lining repair. We have a skilled team for conveyor belt maintenance (hot and cold splicing). As well as experience in electrical installation in mining processes, such as underground and process plants doing LV and MV. SOSTEC also carries out civil and industrials construction.
100, AV. NKULU MAJIBA Q | MUTOSHI | MANIKA PROVINCE DU LUALABA | VILLE DE KOLWEZI
LOCAL SKILLED TECHNICIANS PROVIDING METALIC CONSTRUCTION CIVIL CONSTRUCTION HOUSES BULDING INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION EARTH WORKS MAINTENANCE SERVICES MINING PROCESSING ELECTRICAL STUDIES dg.sostec@gmail.com sostec.technology@gmail.com
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT 2020 contained approximately 116,000 tonnes grading 6.08% copper. At the same time, the project’s medium-grade ore stockpiles contained an additional 446,000 tonnes at 2.73% copper. The KamoaKakula Copper Project’s leadership are optimistic that the stockpiles will significantly expand over the coming months when the majority of Kakula’s underground development will be in mining zones grading over 5% copper. “I think it has been extremely well managed. It is ahead of schedule and for a big project in the middle of Africa that is a huge achievement,” Farren says proudly. We’re very happy with the performance of the local people and the management team who have been able to get this project moving as fast as we have been able to do.” Of course, a big part of the reason the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project has been the huge success it has so far is due to the excellent people the mining operation has at its disposal. Talking with Farren, it is clear he strongly believes in the importance of valuing and investing in the mining operation’s people.
“WE’RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING AS FAST AS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO.” 26 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
First ore on the Kakula High Grade Stockpile.
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
“At the moment for Phase One, we will need about 1,400 skilled people. Phase Two will use about 1,000 more people who will need to be trained,” Farren says. “More than 95% of those will be local and recruited within the next three-year years. In a short amount of time we have set up a world-class training
30 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
“AT THE MOMENT FOR PHASE ONE, WE WILL NEED ABOUT 1,400 SKILLED PEOPLE. PHASE TWO WILL USE ABOUT 1,000 MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL NEED TO BE TRAINED.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
First truck-tip into the East Ore Bin at Kakula Mine
centre and we have been very successful in training, with new staff performing at world-class levels. It’s good to see we have been able to train the labour force in time for the ramp-up.”
MINING THROUGH COVID
Like many projects of this scale, the Kamoa-Kakula Copper
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Project has not been unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as the project is international. “We import steel and components from all over the world, and there literally has been an impact everywhere,” Farren tells us. “I would guess we would average about a two-
month delay because of COVID’s impact on manufacturing and imports, but the team on site has been resourceful enough to make up that time and still expect to hand over the plant on time.” Rochelle de Villiers, CFO, explained that the mining project has also taken steps to
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
Community Banana Plantation.
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
ensure the safety and health of its workers during the crisis. “We implemented a lockdown for about three months and kept the workforce on-site while being vigilant,” de Villiers tells us. “We’ve managed social distancing, established a hospital, and we’ve had a very good overall response. The government now has requested mining companies to go back to normal workforce rotation while further enhancing preventative measures.” Approximately 5,000 employees and contractors are currently working on-site, and roughly 90% of those people are Congolese nationals. To date, the Lualaba Province of the DRC, where the Kamoa-Kakula project is based, has had very few confirmed COVID-19 cases. This has allowed Kamoa-Kakula to progress from Level Four to Level Three and currently to Level Two of its COVID-19 response plan, meaning that the project’s Congolese employees can return to commuting from Kolwezi and neighbouring communities.
“WE ARE BLESSED WITH INCREDIBLY HIGH-GRADE DEPOSITS IN AREAS THAT HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF CLEAN, SUSTAINABLE, HYDRO-POWER POTENTIAL, PROVIDING US WITH A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE IN OUR GOAL TO BECOME THE WORLD’S ‘GREENEST’ MINER.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION CONSTRUCTION
UNLEASHING AFRICA’S POTENTIAL Adopting our client’s needs and expectations as our own, our dedicated Management and Staff will proceed to deliver construction solutions that meets our client’s high standards and strict timelines. As well as delivering turnkey solutions in the industry, LODAS can deliver specific services that are tailored to meet our clients’ needs. Excellent work by our Management and Staff has resulted in LODAS emerging as a leading African E&I construction company operating in the infrastructure, mining, petrochemical, food and beverage and energy sectors. LODAS also boasts a strong and dedicated, Safety Department and stringent Quality Standards. To facilitate our out-of-South Africa projects we have an inhouse Logistics Department who are adept at moving equipment to the most remote regions of our continent. • ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION
• STRUCTURAL
• MECHANICAL, PIPING & PLATEWORK
• SUPPLY CHAIN
• COMMISSIONING
• CONSULTING
LODAS CONSTRUCTION LODAS Construction is a South African registered company which operates within greater Africa focusing on Electrical, Control and Instrumentation construction. Our DRC registered entity, is LODAS JV International, the company that has successfully tendered on projects at Komoa Mining. SERVICES: ELECTRICAL - equipment supply, bulk services, installation of electrical reticulation both LV and MV, overhead lines, motor control centres, small power and lighting, COCs and commissioning. BOILERMAKING - equipment supply, racking and support steelwork fabrication and installation. INSTRUMENTATION - equipment supply, instrumentation installation, process control systems upgrade, Automine systems installation, P&ID as-building, security alarm systems and CCTV installation. FIBRE OPTICS - Panels and cable design, installation, splicing and testing. Procurement, Commissioning and Project Construction Management. LODAS group has experience in surface mining, underground mining and smelting/ refinery, food and beverage and petrochemical plants, having successfully completed projects in South Africa (Anglo Am, AB Inbev, Rand Refinery, Petro SA), Angola (SA Breweries), Namibia (AB Inbev), DRC (Kibali Gold, Kamoa Kakula Copper Mine, Mali (Syama Gold). Currently LODAS has operations at the Kamoa Copper Mine, LODAS having successfully tendered for the Vent Fan 1 Electrical and Instrumentation project in
June last year. Lodas site established on the 12th of July 2019 with a team of 6 expats and 12 locals. The project was completed 3 months later, within time and budget. Since the 12th of July 2019, LODAS has rapidly expanded their team after successfully tendering on several additional projects at Kamoa. The projects include Fire System on underground/surface conveyors, small power and lighting, workshops and substations on surface including the 11kV and 33kV surface reticulation. With the success of LODAS’s projects over the past year, LODAS plans to ramp up their operations of staff and machinery, taking us from the 18 man team which started in 2019 to 130 man team by end of August 2020. LODAS believes that the success at Kamoa Copper Project can be attributed to: 1. Understanding our clients and their requirements 2. Providing a quality service beyond expectations 3. Continuously improving our business performance and processes 4. Consistently obtaining new knowledge in technology and management methods 5. Creating and maintaining a satisfying yet challenging work environment for all LODAS employees LODAS’s vision has been and will remain, to be an established world class Electrical and Instrumentation Construction Company in Africa, providing the market with construction and engineering excellence. www.shawafrica.com
Pygma Energy did not hesitate for even a second before joining The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project. When we first approached the Kamoa Management to become a supplier of petroleum products and lubricants 4 or 5 years ago, it was clear that in the short term the Kamoa project would not offer as much in terms of scale as mines that were already operational in the DRC. We met a team of people who appeared initially sceptical, seemingly wondering “who are these people?” But after a few interactions, we bought into each other’s’ long term visions. We have come a long way. Our first contract did not even cover our expenses - it was difficult but we never gave up, nor have we at any stage lost faith in or disappointed our partner Kamoa. To believe in a project is to believe in the people that make it possible; we have trained and equipped a team that today blends in well with the Kamoa landscape. To believe in a project is to invest in it; today we have invested in heavy equipment, and a fleet of trucks specifically dedicated to the Kamoa project and it’s not over. Pygma Energy and its sister companies are now ready to take on other challenges in this great project and we hope that this is just the beginning of our collaboration in different aspects of resource and mining operations. 3915 A Avenue Changalele Commune de Lubumbashi / Lubumbashi haut Katanga RDC 90 AB Boulevard du 30 Juin local 101 Gombe - Kinshasa RDC SA +27 82 770 4865 Rdc +243 81 830 3001 pkasseyet@pygmagroup.com
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
Ongoing Concentrator Plant construction.
Kamoa-Kakula has also seen the construction of a new hospital ward, built specifically to treat potential COVID-19 patients. The mining project remains prepared to handle the pandemic and COVID-19 cases on-site.
GREEN COPPER
The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project’s efforts to protect its staff and community go beyond the company’s precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic, however. Throughout the Kamoa-Kakula project the venture has aimed to bring work and value to the communities it is working within and alongside. “We’ve got a brick manufacturing project owned by community members making concrete bricks to be used in our construction activities,” de Villiers tells us. “We’ve also got a few banana plantations owned by women groups bringing in their first harvest. Also owned by the communities
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are various agriculture projects, fish projects, a poultry project (meat and eggs) and vegetable projects, of which the products are bought by us and the surrounding communities. We also invested a lot of money in building schools in various villages. We’ve constructed a clinic and providing all the villages with drinking water by installing boreholes at which they fetch fresh drinking water without having to walk kilometres like before.” These efforts to aid and support the communities in the region are combined with an ongoing, operation-wide effort to make sure Kamoa-Kakula produces the world’s “greenest copper”. Ivanhoe and its partners in the Kamoa-Kakula joint venture are committed to building modern, safe, mechanised mines that will act as a showcase for what responsible, environmentally sustainable mine development can look like.
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
Mining and Construction Teams, Successful Start of the Rock Handling System.
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ROAD | AIR | SEA
An expert who is engaged in the logistical planning and management of a new or existing project, knows the importance of the finer details involved, taking into consideration all requirements, specifications and limits. We are the Experts. We fully understand that focus on working together with the client on transformation efficiencies, thus redesigning not only the supply chain but sometimes also the overall business process and internal organisation. Tel: +243 828 117 948 Email: jannie@congopl.com
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NORMET AFRICA (PTY) LTD DEFINING THE FUTURE UNDERGROUND Normet is a fast growing and innovative technology company with a passion to offer continuous improvement to our underground mining and tunnelling partners’ processes for increased safety productivity and sustainability. Normet is at the forefront of developing smart technologies e.g. SmartSpray, SmartScan and IoT solutions like SmartWeb. We have developed a full range of battery-electric machines in pursuit of lowering our customers’ carbon footprint. Normet brings process expertise, amassed over thousands of mines and projects all over the globe. This broad perspective means that we have learned about what should and should not be done to achieve optimum results. We have the expertise to provide end-toend optimization for our customers’ shotcreting process by analysing and recommending mix designs and coupling that with our best practice shotcrete application training. Combining this knowledge with Normet’s SmartSpray and SmartScan technologies supported by virtual reality simulation training, customers are able to reduce cost and increase productivity, efficiency and safety. Normet is a Finnish based company that operates globally with over 50 locations in 28 countries and has delivered over 13,000 built-for-purpose underground machines which are supported with Normet services. Our equipment offering includes equipment for concrete spraying and transport, explosives charging, scaling, lifting, installation works and logistics. In Sub-Saharan Africa, we have delivered over 340 machines to more than 40 customers in 10 countries. Aftermarket support is provided from our two hubs in Johannesburg, South Africa and Kitwe, Zambia as well as through selected Dealer partners functioning as an extension of Normet’s service organization. Normet Africa (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 (11) 823 8100 Email: info@normet.co.za
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www.normet.co.za
AGRIZEX Company is an official Toyota dealer with 20 years experience and more than 150 NEW TOYOTA’s in permanent stock at very competitive prices! Our Showrooms & Garages are located at: 7284, Révolution Road, Lubumbashi, DRC Nº 56 Likasi, Kolwezi, DRC Contact: Patrick De Moerloose, General Manager Tel: +243 99 70 26 749 Mario Ferraz, Lualaba Provincial Manager Tel: +243 81 70 57 444 / +243 84 09 78 718 Email: agrizex@lub.gbs.cd mario.ferraz@agrizex.com www.agrizex.com
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KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
Indeed, Kamoa-Kakula is a unique project in that it combines ultra-high copper grades in thick, shallow and relatively flat-lying deposits. This structure allows for highly-productive, large-scale, mechanised underground mining operations. In environmental terms, what this means is that Kamoa-Kakula’s ultra-high copper grades and underground mines will give the mine a small surface footprint while using only a fraction of the consumables, power and water than comparable large, low-grade, open-pit porphyry copper mines while producing far fewer tailings. Of those tailing, 55% will be mixed with cement and pumped back underground to fill voids and help to support the
underground mine. The rest of the mine’s tailings will be pumped into a tailing’s storage facility. “We are committed to building the Kamoa-Kakula Project to industry-leading standards in terms of resource efficiency, water and energy usage, and minimizing emissions,” KamoaKakula’s Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland has said. “We are blessed with incredibly high-grade deposits in areas that have an abundance of clean, sustainable, hydro-power potential - providing us with a distinct advantage in our goal to become the world’s ‘greenest’ miner.” Kamoa-Kakula is ahead of schedule and already promising great results, but talking to Farren it is clear he is already thinking about the next step.
Mining & Africa Logistics
The Kamoa-Kakula Project is approximately 25km west of the town of Kolwezi, DRC.
• Projects and Supply Chain Partners • • Road, Ocean, Rail and Air Freight • • Warehousing and Cross Docking • Charters • Nucleus is the leading independent supply chain management & cross border logistics management group in Southern, Eastern and Central Africa. We fully understand that focus on working together with the client on transformation efficiencies, thus redesigning not only the supply chain but sometimes also the overall business process and internal organisation. Tel: +27 11 028 1181 Email: info@nucleusml.co.za
www.nucleusml.co.za
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“WE EXPECT IT TO BE APPRAISED QUITE QUICKLY. THE MINE DEVELOPMENT IS AIMED AT FILLING THE FIRST PLANT, WITH THE VIEW TO EXPANDING VERY RAPIDLY IN THE SECOND PHASE.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
KAMOA-KAKULA COPPER PROJECT
“Phase One is a 3.8-milliontonne underground operation and will produce 240,000 tonnes of copper a year. We’ve already designed Phase Two which will be identical, producing the same volume of copper, giving us between 450,000 and 500,000 tonnes of copper per annum being produced,” he explains. “We expect it to be appraised quite quickly. The mine development is aimed at filling the first plant, with the view to expanding very rapidly in the second phase. The initial Capital for phase one is approximately is $1.3 billion. The long-term picture is that there are a number of phases, four or five to get to the full capacity of the mine and there will be a smelter project as well in the long term.”
Celebrating the first ore on the Kakula High Grade Stockpile.
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HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AS THEY SERVE MORE PASSENGERS THAN EVER BEFORE, HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS TRANSFORMING TO MEET DEMAND.
A NEW ERA TAKES FLIGHT PROJECT MANAGED BY: GARY SMITH
In 2019 Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) served 38.79 million passengers, the most passengers to pass through the airport since it began operations in 2014. Even since 2018, the airport record 12.44% year-on-year growth in terms of passenger numbers. 44 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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s well as serving more customers, Hamad is also taking them to more places. In 2019 the airport added eight new passenger destinations to its global network, including Davao in the Philippines, Rabat in Morocco, Izmir in Turkey, Gaborone in Botswana, Langkawi in Malaysia, Mogadishu in Somalia, Lisbon in Portugal and Malta. That’s as well as the three new cargo destinations the airport now serves, Istanbul in Turkey, New York in the US and Almaty in Kazakhstan. Hamad International Airport is also seeing more flights, with fifteen of their airlines, including Kuwait
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Airways, Salam Air, Philippine Airlines, Oman Air and Air India Express, increasing their weekly flight services from the airport, and two new airline partners, Air India and Tarco Aviation joining the airport. 232,917 aircraft movements were handled by Hamad International Airport in 2019, an increase of 5.57% on the previous year. In short 2019 was a year of incredible growth for the airport, as their Chief Operating Officer, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, has pointed out, “2019 has been a spectacular year for HIA, having broken our record for the greatest number of passengers ever served since
commencing our operations. It was also an exciting year for the airport as the gateway to some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 and the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019, which were successfully hosted by the State of Qatar.” In the face of this level of growth, Hamad International Airport has acknowledged that it is essential to expand to meet rising demand. This is why they have announced a multiphased airport expansion plan to build the airport’s operational capacity in preparation for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
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SPREADING THEIR WINGS
Bayanat Engineering Qatar is specialized in Traffic Management, Airside and Terminal systems, with the deployments of a wide range of Communication, Navigation, Surveillance, Meteorological, Traffic Management, Lighting, Security and Information Technologies. Bayanat Engineering was established in 1983, out of experience and commitment, with the vision to deliver excellence and precision. We believe in excellence and on the dot execution, powered by experience and knowledge and more than that – we believe in trust. Excellent track record of successfully executed more than 1,200 Civil and Military projects – our reputation speaks for itself. We value integrity and efficiency more than anything. Our pledge is to strive to deliver the best, flying with innovation, fortified with the best technology available and land your projects safely and timely.
Bayanat Engineering Qatar LLC Office 501, 73 Bin Mahmoud St (930) PO box 201740, Doha, Qatar Phone: +974 4427 3784 Fax: +974 4431 7552 Email: qatar@bayanatengineering.com
www.qatar.bayanatengineering.com
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This expansion will take place in two major stages. First, there will be Phase A, during which construction work will be carried out to connect concourses D and E through a central concourse, increasing the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity to the point where it will be able to handle over 53 million passengers by 2022. Phase B, which will be completed after 2022, will involve extending concourses D and E to boost the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity to over 60 million. These extensions will be carried out alongside projects to construct a 10,000 square metre indoor tropical garden, a 268 square metre water feature, 11,720 square metres of landscaped retail and food court, and 9,000 square metres of Al Mourjan lounge. This project includes the installation of self-check-in and self-bag-drop kiosks as well as the recent introduction of ten automated security gates to the airport’s pre-immigration area, allowing passengers to scan their own boarding cards and proceed to immigration.
“2019 HAS BEEN A SPECTACULAR YEAR FOR HIA, HAVING BROKEN OUR RECORD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PASSENGERS EVER SERVED SINCE COMMENCING OUR OPERATIONS.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
Of course, a project of this scale is not something that can be carried out alone, and Matar, the company managing and operating Hamad International Airport has already awarded five contracts to new partners who will assist with the expansion. A range of companies and joint ventures have been brought in to make the new vision of Hamad International Airport a reality. Last October a joint venture of Urbacon Trading & Contracting, Bahadir Construction and Tedeschia Construction Enterprises (UBT) was awarded the contract for the airport’s Western Taxiway & Stand Development Works, with work commencing in the fourth quarter of last year. These companies will increase the airport’s capacity with 39 extra aircraft stands.
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HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Meanwhile, the joint venture made up of Midmac Contracting, TAV Tepe Akfen Investment Construction and Taisei Corporation (MTT) are collaborating to expand the airport’s passenger terminal, central concourse building and the early work on the expansion which began last November. MTT is set to construct a 140,000 square metre terminal building as well as a new transfer area which will reduce connection times and improve passengers’ experience. Another major part of the planned expansion is the airport’s remote transfer baggage facility (RTBF) handling systems and building projects, which were split into two different packages which are being handled by the Al Jaber Engineering Company and Beumer Doha, who are contracted for to supply and install the baggage handling system at the RTBF.
THE NEXT PHASE
At the end of last year, Hamad International Airport went into more detail about the extensive
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HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
“OUR EXPANSION HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE WITH THE EXISTING TERMINAL, ALLOWING SMOOTH PASSENGER FLOW AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL PASSENGER EXPERIENCE BY MINIMISING TRAVEL DISTANCES FOR CONNECTIONS AND PROVIDING CLARITY AND INTUITIVE WAYFINDING.”
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plans they have for the second phase of this project. These include a multi-level terminal facility covering over 85,000 square metres with its three levels and three mezzanine levels bringing the total floor space of the facility to roughly 323,000 square metres. Beyond the sheer size of the development, the terminal building will also be graded with four stars by the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) as well as a LEED Silver certificate. The airport’s 11,720 square metres landscaped retail, food and beverage space will feature integrated art and greenery among its retail and dining areas, using trees and plants from sustainable forests. This area will feature internal environmental conditions that are carefully monitored and controlled to suit the trees, with the help of a column-free, 85-metre grid shell roof made of performance glass that will control the light entering the airport. Above this space, the luxurious Al Mourjan will overlook the tropical garden, while passengers will also be able to enjoy amenities including gymnasiums, additional spas, business centres, restaurants and more. All of this goes towards not only expanding the capacity of Hamad International Airport but also its offering, creating a modern, pleasant experience for passengers. As Al Meer says, “Our expansion has been designed to seamlessly integrate with the existing terminal, allowing smooth passenger flow and improving the overall passenger experience by minimising travel distances for connections and providing clarity and intuitive wayfinding.”
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SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SINCE 2017, THE AIRPORT HAS BEEN INVESTING IN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES AIMED AT CREATING ATTRACTIVE CONDITIONS FOR AIRLINES AND HIGH-QUALITY PASSENGER SERVICES, TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE LARGEST AIR HUBS IN THE WORLD.
AIMING HIGH PROJECT MANAGED BY: GARY SMITH
Sheremetyevo International Airport, the largest Russian airport and one of the biggest in the world in terms of traffic, launched an extensive airport development programme a few years ago, which is set to continue, despite the envisaged aviation changes resulting from the recent pandemic.
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“S
heremetyevo International Airport, located some 30 km north-west of central Moscow, is now the busiest airport in Russia and ranks second in Europe in terms of the growth of its route network. Originally built as a military airbase, it was converted into a civilian airport in 1959. Over
the years the airport has been expanded and modernised, becoming a gateway to international sports, cultural and political events. The airport served more than 460,000 international passengers during the 1980 Olympic Games. In the late 2000s, Sheremetyevo saw rapid expansion and in 2019
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SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
An aerial view of Sheremetyevo’s Terminal D
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its six terminals covering about 570,000 m2 handled almost 50 million passengers. “Sheremetyevo has undergone extensive development in the last few years,” acknowledged Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr Alexander Ponomarenko, a successful Russian businessman and investor. With a background in banking, real estate and seaports, he moved into airport construction when his company TPS Avia won the tender in 2013 to develop the NTC (Northern Terminal Complex) at Sheremetyevo and committed to investing US$1 billion in the airport’s development. This included a new passenger terminal, a new freight terminal, a refuelling area and a tunnel linking the passenger terminal to three other terminals. In February 2016, TPS Avia secured a 66% stake in Sheremetyevo Airport and committed to further investment in upgrading and expanding the airport’s infrastructure.
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“We saw this as a very attractive investment opportunity, and it came when the airport was in an unstable situation, heavily burdened with debts, to modernise one of the main terminals. We financially secured not only four projects in the NTC but also future development,” said Mr Ponomarenko. He explained that as Sheremetyevo International Airport was the official airport of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a lot of work had to be done to make passengers comfortable and welcome. “The construction of Terminal B was a quantum leap in terms of infrastructure and service improvement, implemented on time, and increasing capacity to handle passengers for the tournament.”
INVESTING IN DEVELOPMENT
Between 2017 and 2020, a stateof-the-art cargo complex, third refuelling complex, Terminal B, inter-terminal tunnel, new car parks, large hangar complex
for aircraft maintenance for Aeroflot and other facilities were all commissioned. Over that period, investment has amounted to over 1.2 billion dollars, transforming the airport into one of the best and most efficient hubs in the world.
“THE CONSTRUCTION OF TERMINAL B WAS A QUANTUM LEAP IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENT, IMPLEMENTED ON TIME, AND INCREASING CAPACITY TO HANDLE PASSENGERS FOR THE TOURNAMENT.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
In January 2020, the airport achieved yet another milestone, opening its brand-new Terminal C designed for international traffic. The terminal, built as part of a long-term airport development programme and forming part of the Northern Terminal Complex (Terminals B, C) of Sheremetyevo Airport, has the capacity to accommodate 20 million passengers per year. “As you can imagine, commissioning a terminal is a complex thing and we wanted to avoid any mishaps. We did our best to ensure the smooth operation of the new terminal - we ran a range of tests using volunteers to test and fine-tune all the systems and ensure their optimum efficiency,” noted Mr Ponomarenko. This has been fully achieved. The terminal complex comprises the main three-floor passenger terminal building with a total area of 127,375 square meters,
Mr Alexander Ponomarenko, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sheremetyevo Airports
The passenger entrance at Sheremetyevo’s Terminal B
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SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
and a roofed six-level parking lot for 2,500 vehicles that is connected to the terminal via a pedestrian crossing. Terminal С forms a single space together with Terminal B. Uniting the buildings under one roof was one of the toughest challenges of the entire construction cycle, said Mr Ponomarenko. This singlespace enables passengers to make use of the services and technical facilities offered by both terminals while allowing transfer passengers to move
quickly between terminals through the transit area.
THE WAY FORWARD
While the airport has been forced to put certain investments on hold temporarily as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the key projects planned for this year - the reconstruction of the airport’s first runway and the modernisation of its baggage handling system - will not be affected and both will be commissioned by the end of this year.
Mr Ponomarenko affirmed that after the months of lockdown, traffic volume is slowly picking up again, and it is hoped that recovery will be achieved within the next twelve months. As one of the biggest and most attractive employers in Russia with a staff of nearly 19,000, the airport’s development lies, to a great extent, in the hands of its staff. “The corporate culture, the quality of our personnel is very important to us. Only with the right people, their skills, commitment and dedication,
The view from the underground passenger train that connects Sheremetyevo’s southern and northern sectors. Trains depart every 4 minutes.
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SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The Chagall Business Lounge in Sheremetyevo’s new nternational Terminal C.
“WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO RAISE SHEREMETYEVO’S PROFILE AND MOST OF ALL, TO IMPROVE THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN VOTED THE NUMBER ONE AIRPORT IN EUROPE IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF SERVICE CONFIRMS THAT WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
their daily contributions, could we have achieved so much in the last few years.” And the achievements are indeed impressive: since 2017 saw Sheremetyevo top the ASQ ACI programme’s ranking for customer service among the largest airports in Europe whose passenger traffic exceeded 40 million per year. According to an analytical study conducted by British company Stasher, Sheremetyevo was recognized as the best airport in the world and also earned an award for Number One in-flight punctuality in 2019. Forbes also rated Sheremetyevo as the most comfortable Russian airport in 2019. “We are a very well-run company with a hard-working, hands-on Board of Directors aiming to achieve further
improvements and working toward our strategic goal of serving 100 million passengers per year by 2030. Today, Sheremetyevo Airport is the largest airport in Russia and a critical part of the global transportation system. Our leading position among Europe’s major airports in terms of flight punctuality and passenger service quality proves that the business strategy we have chosen is a sound one.” “We have worked hard to raise Sheremetyevo’s profile and most of all, to improve the passenger experience. The fact that we have been voted the Number One airport in Europe in terms of quality of service confirms that we have done a good job.”
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ALHAMRANI UNIVERSAL
IN RECENT MONTHS THE COMPANY HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED ITS BUSINESS IN LINE WITH THE MOVE TOWARDS DIGITAL SOLUTIONS AND SECURITY ENHANCEMENT, ACCENTUATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
SEAMLESS DIGITAL EXPERIENCE PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAMES RICHARDSON
“B
Alhamrani Universal (AU) is the largest fintech solutions provider in the self-service banking industry in KSA. AU pioneered EMV payments and provides end-to=end security solutions in the physical and digital world.
uilding on its legacy since 1981, Alhamrani Universal (AU) has achieved a reputation for providing innovative, highquality solutions and support services in the financial, retail and security industries. With one of the most experienced management teams in the industry, the company employs over 850 professionals with over 70% of these in the technical, professional and field services spread across a comprehensive service and logistics infrastructure of 45 service centres. The company provides solutions within four categories: self-service financial solutions, cyber and physical security solutions, retail solutions, and fintech solutions, and is always looking at innovative approaches and moving forward. Mr Tariq Abdullah Abdat, CEO, Alhamrani Universal.
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Ingenico Group is shaping the future of payments for sustainable and inclusive growth. As a global leader in seamless payments, the Group provides merchants with smart, trusted and secure solutions to empower commerce across all channels. Ingenico is the trusted and proactive world-class partner for financial institutions and retailers, from small merchants to the world’s best-known global brands. The Group’s international community of experts anticipates the evolutions of consumer lifestyles to provide customers with leading-edge solutions wherever they are needed.
Mouna FOUILLADE MEA Marketing & Communication Director Ingenico Group (E) mouna.fouillade@ingenico.com (T) +33 1 58 01 85 78
www.ingenico.com
ALHAMRANI UNIVERSAL
PARTNER OF CHOICE
“AU’s business model is based on partnerships with leading regional and global players, distributing their products and services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while customising the software to comply with local requirements and standards,” explained the company CEO Mr Tariq Abdullah Abdat who, with more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in banking, payments, and financial technology, is responsible for driving the company strategy to become a leading regional provider of financial technology and security solutions, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. In the area of self-service solutions, AU is the sole distributor of Diebold Nixdorf (DN) ATMs and banking solutions, where DN offers world-leading banking solutions and retail technology systems that help banks, credit unions and retailers meet the needs of connected commerce. For ePayment solutions, AU represents Ingenico, the world leader in providing smart, trusted and secure payment solutions to empower commerce across all channels, in-store, online and mobile. Within the security sector, the company represents Bosch and Honeywell locally, as well as several other international companies and provides anti-theft systems, fire doors, insured safety deposit boxes and transportation security systems, surveillance systems, CCTV, and digital recording devices. AU inherited its retail business when its partner company Diebold acquired Wincor Nixdorf, a European retail services giant, and
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launched its Retail Department to provide state-of-the-art German technology, as well as expanding its retail portfolio to cater to new segments, achieving a complete end-toend retail solution portfolio.
THE HUMAN FACTOR
Mr Abdat affirmed that the company’s growth can to a large extent be credited to its staff. The multiple technical, professional and dedicated support teams of engineers and technicians, providing online support in all cities of the Kingdom, have contributed to AU becoming the partner of choice for the Kingdom’s payments and electronic banking industry.
“Many of our staff have been with us for a very long time, and have grown with the company. Right now, in line with increasing demand for our solutions and services, we are increasing staff numbers, seeking to attract skilled workers both locally and from abroad, and working with local universities and colleges to acquire local talents. We are adding more people as we speak - we are upgrading 2,000 ATM units, so we need about 35 extra technicians to support that,” he noted, affirming that the company takes good care of its people, supporting them with appropriate career development and training programmes.
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Top-quality expertise and a loyal workforce are among the company’s competitive advantages, he affirmed, as is the company’s ability to provide flexible service. “Not only do we have our technical excellence centre but as a partner of DN, the number one player in terms of self-service banking, we run a workshop facility which is a replica of DN certified American and European workshops to support repair demand locally, not only in the Kingdom but within the whole region.”
STRONGER THAN BEFORE The company capitalise on
was quick to the emerging
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opportunities brought about by the unprecedented development caused by the current pandemic. “As a result of the new situation caused by the coronavirus, we launched a branch transformation project throughout the country, moving with our customers to introducing mobile branches that would allow them to do all their financial and non-financial transactions 24/7. We have just introduced five mobile branches for one of the largest banks in the Middle East,” noted Mr Abdat. The Covid-19 crisis has accentuated the need for enhanced financial and security solutions and demand for
ePayment solutions and thermal cameras have increased. AU has the capabilities and the capacity to handle the increased market demand. Just recently, the company has certified the Ingenico Move 3500: Best-inClass 4G enabled ePayment terminal, a portable solution which complies with the latest and future security PCI-PTS 5.x and Safety 2020 standards to reinforce confidence in all payment methods for both merchants and consumers, working with its partners to replace all of its installed bases. “Despite the tragic consequences of Covid-19, the unprecedented situation
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has created new business opportunities for us, boosting people’s trust in digital solutions,” said Mr Abdat, noting that during the last five months or so AU has installed more point-of-sale terminals than ever before.
TRANSFORMED FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE
In recent months, the company has successfully expanded its footprint further afield, completing a strategic partnership agreement with SEED Group, one of the main movers in the UAE, seeking to further raise the standards for automated and self-service solutions of banking and nonfinancial institutions outside the Kingdom. Speaking about future developments, Mr Abdat acknowledged that the biggest potential is seen in the digital transformation. A good example of a recent innovative addition is Ateon, the Fintech solution brand of AU, offering
blockchain technology to the Kingdom, in alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for digital transformation. “Blockchain technology is being implemented in many areas of the Middle East and we have already received serious interest from government establishments.” “It is not just the industry but also our company that is undergoing transformation, as we adapt to the new situation and look at cost optimisation. For example, our call centres have been operating from home for the past five months with excellent results, so we are adapting virtual work policies as part of the new normal. The past few months have not only been a time of business expansion but also of revising our internal operations, focusing on transforming the business to match new demands, in order to provide an even greater value for our customers,” Mr Abdat reflected in conclusion.
“DESPITE THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF COVID-19, THE UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION HAS CREATED NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, BOOSTING PEOPLE’S TRUST IN DIGITAL SOLUTIONS.”
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HELIOS TOWERS
WE LEARN HOW HELIOS TOWERS IS SUPPORTING AFRICA’S MOBILE COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
TOWERING AMBITION
PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD Helios towers is a pan-African telecom towers business that recently announced its entry into its sixth country on the continent. The company is present in Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Congo Brazzaville, the DRC and has just entered Senegal. The business currently operates 7,000 towers across Africa and has over 15,000 tenants and a client list that includes all the major mobile operators across Africa.
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“I
t’s a simple business model, a property and power company to mobile operators. We own the towers and the power equipment on-site and lease space on the towers to mobile operators,” explains Helios Towers’ COO, Tom Greenwood. “Our business in Africa is no different to a tower company in the US, India or Europe. We sign long-term contracts, which is standard in the industry around the world. The typical length of contracts are ten to fifteen years for an initial term with automatic renewals thereafter, so 40-year contract lengths are typical within this business. The service we provide is critical to the country, the network operators, and the people in these countries because mobile communications and data are essential for everyday life these days.” However, while the business model is similar to one implemented the world over, Africa brings some of its own unique challenges. “What makes Africa different to Europe or the US is that fixed-line communication never really got going in Africa in a big way. In many cases, mobile or
using the internet, particularly on mobile devices, is often the only means for people to communicate with each other,” Greenwood acknowledges. “So, our business and the services we provide are crucial for people to be connected. It is something we take extremely seriously and we pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service. That means, as well as enabling the rapid roll-out and deployment of new sites, we’re also keeping those sites up once they’re running; reliably and consistently.” Helios Towers provides virtually 100% power uptime to its customers, a promise that can be challenging to keep in parts of a country that are not even connected to the grid, or where the grid often does not run 24 hours a day. For these reasons, Helios’s towers often draw power from multiple alternative energy sources including solar power and hybrid solutions.
VANGUARD OF A NEW BUSINESS MODEL
Looking at Helios’ business model, one question that might come to mind is “Why don’t the
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SYNERGY SHAPES SYNERGY SHAPES
SUCCESS SUCCESS At Delmec, we believe that synergy shapes success. By working together in collaborative partnerships, we engineer a we smarter way to synergy build and manage telecoms At Delmec, believe that shapes success. tower infrastructure, seamlessly connecting people By working together in collaborative partnerships, we and businesses to the world. All ofand ourmanage partners,telecoms from engineer a smarter way to build towercos to mobile network operators, trust us to deliver tower infrastructure, seamlessly connecting people the insights and to engineering expertise they needfrom to and businesses the world. All of our partners, succeed by optimising value from their tower assets. towercos to mobile network operators, trust us to deliver the insights and engineering expertise they need to We welcome the opportunity to help our customers succeed by optimising value from their tower assets. and partners overcome the next telecoms tower infrastructure challenge, whatever that be. We welcome the opportunity to help ourmay customers and partners overcome the next telecoms tower infrastructure challenge, whatever that may be.
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DELMEC WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH HELIOS TO DELIVER BETTER RESULTS SEAMLESSLY AND EFFICIENTLY Helios has been one of our key clients from the moment we entered the African market in Ghana 10 years ago. Since then, I’ve been very proud to see our relationship develop into a truly collaborative partnership, working and growing together across many countries. Working closely with Tom, Kash and their team, we’ve developed innovative and agile solutions and services to support Helios in optimising their portfolio and adding value to their clients. As a partner, we always strive to enhance our relationship by working closely together, driving success for both companies with that ‘One Team’ mentality. I believe this partnership really demonstrates how synergy shapes success. Kealan Delaney CEO. DELMEC
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HOW WE WORK IN SYNERGY WITH HELIOS TO DELIVER INNOVATION: DELMEC TIMS APP Instant information capturing, maximising consistency in the inspection process. PORTFOLIO OPTIMISATION Merging data, structural engineering principles and expertise to significantly expand revenue opportunity. ONE TEAM, ONE BUSINESS Global technical and strategic commitment to partner Helios to future success. PORTFOLIO RISK AVERSION MODELLING Innovative process to maximise earning potential while reducing structural risk.
www.delmec.ie
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HELIOS TOWERS
mobile operators simply build their own towers?” Indeed, in the early days, this is what most companies did. “When you have a number of operators growing and expanding within a market building their own towers and equipment, at that point, the towers are a competitive advantage because without the tower you don’t have the signal,” Greenwood explains. “Over time, as multiple mobile operators build out networks there comes a point where the networks cover similar areas and more and more the actual ownership of the tower becomes less of competitive advantage for the mobile operator, and more of a maintenance burden.” As the competitive advantages of this model declined, the inefficiencies of it stood out more starkly. “These towers were also underutilised – imagine a tower 40 or 50 metres tall and using only three or four metres on that space. The towers could be used to share multiple operators’ equipment on those sites,” Greenwood points out. “But because they’re competitors they don’t work well together sharing infrastructure, so that’s why companies like us, independent tower companies, exist, running infrastructure for multiple parties.” Helios Towers was at the vanguard of this new business model, as Greenwood tells us, “We pioneered the sale and leaseback network model in Africa, tracing back to our activity in Ghana in 2010. This was followed by sale and leaseback transactions in other markets, buying a portfolio from MNOs and selling additional space to other operators in the market.” As well as acquiring towers and utilising leasebacks, Helios Towers is also building new sites.
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“We have an offering called ‘Built to Suit’ where we will build a new site in a location an operator wants to go to, deploy our own capital if we’re agreeable to the location and use them as an initial tenant or anchor tenant while we locate others over time,” Greenwood says. “Of our 7,000 towers, roughly 5,000 were obtained through acquisitions and roughly 2,000 we built ourselves.” That expansion is continuing apace in Senegal, where a further 1,220 sites are currently being acquired and Helios has committed to building 400 more.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Africa is no small market to serve, with even individual countries being vast in size and often with limiting existing infrastructure. “We spend a lot of time thinking about how to improve operationally and adapt to those challenges,” Greenwood says. “It’s a continuous challenge, so we always need to adapt and tweak our processes and structures.” Recently, those challenges have been compounded by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The telecoms industry as a whole has been a crucial part of people surviving and getting through COVID-19 and the lockdown,” Greenwood insists. “Whether it is business or personal, being able to do video calls and being able to speak to people, buy things, trade and access banking, education and healthcare, people need to be connected. We have seen an increase in volumes going through our mobile network customers, particularly in data services because of additional video calls and app use. As the infrastructure provider, we have
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“OUR BUSINESS AND THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE ARE CRUCIAL FOR PEOPLE TO BE CONNECTED. IT’S SOMETHING WE TAKE EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY & WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.” been focused on keeping sites running with maximum power uptime.” It is a challenge that Helios has risen to meet admirably, with Greenwood noting, “In June we had our best ever month of power uptime delivery, and that’s a testament to the excellent field and support staff we have.” The COVID-19 pandemic is only emblematic of a larger philosophy in the way Helios Towers works, however. “Some of the biggest initiatives we have are in environmental, social and corporate governance,” Greenwood says. “We place very high importance on running a sustainable business and that commitment takes many forms for us. First of all, our business model is inherently sustainable
and good for the environment because we are encouraging the sharing of tower infrastructure, which enables faster rollout, and a reduction of diesel and carbon emissions.” As well as big picture sustainability strategies, Helios Towers is also looking locally to support its communities. “We have a huge focus as well on local management and local staffing,” Greenwood says. “We don’t like having lots of ex-pats running around because we view that as short-term and ultimately not sustainable. Close to 100% of management and staff across our businesses are from the markets in which we operate, and we invest in the long-term professional development of these employees.”
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CIVMEC
WE LEARN HOW CIVMEC IS EXPANDING ITS OPERATIONS.
A GROWING OPERATION
PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE
Civmec was established in 2009 as an integrated multi-disciplinary construction and engineering services provider working in engineering and construction for infrastructure, oil and gas, metal and minerals and more recently defence. Where most construction projects tend to become a sophisticated lattice of interconnecting contractors and subcontractors, that isn’t the way Civmec works.
“O
Pat Tallon, CEO, Civmec.
ur construction is carried out by our inhouse workforce. We have the largest heavy engineering and fabrication facilities in Australia, as well as offering earthworks and site civil concrete, modularisation, structural, mechanical and piping installation, electrical and instrumentation, maintenance activities, our own surface treatment facilities and more recently shipbuilding,” explains Patrick Tallon, Civmec’s CEO. “We bring in people to work for the company rather than subcontracting, and we have 2,500 people employed directly at any one time. We have a very strong client base with bluechip clients like Fortescue, Chevron, Rio Tinto, Woodside, BHP, Santos and Roy Hill.” This multi-disciplinary service offering forms the foundation of Civmec’s unique selling point. “It means we can cut out a lot of interfaces across different disciplines that would often occur with contractors. We can
take a project from a greenfield site to an operational plant,” Tallon points out. “You get us on the site and we’ll do the entire work directly ourselves. Others do not have this range of multidisciplines inhouse themselves. We have large heavy engineering facilities, we can fabricate our own components rather than going abroad to order, so we can better control our supply chain.” As well as having extensive facilities and equipment, they also boast a powerful talent pool. “We also bring people into the company with our training and development, so we have a strong culture and crew and a strong management team,” Tallon says. “They’re all construction people who’ve come up through the industry.”
GROWING FACILITIES AND TALENT
Currently, Civmec is undergoing an exciting period of expansion, in terms of both facilities and people.
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STEELWORK MODELLING AND DETAIL DRAFTING www.multiplan.com.au
As a leading project service provider in Australia, Multiplan has a long-standing reputation for delivering complex projects through precision modelling and steelwork detailing. Since our inception in 1993, Multiplan has developed and retained a large team of expert modellers, draftsman and checkers boasting a combined average experience of over 25 years. Multiplan prides itself as being a trusted partner in industry and advances relationships by providing leading industry solutions. Offering a flexible suite of project workflows including design assist through early engagement or by strict compliance to detailed designs, Multiplan’s deliverables meet the highest standards, ensuring problem free fabrication and erection. In 2018 Multiplan opened an office in Sofia, Bulgaria to service the European market. With a dynamic and growing staff along with the support of our Australian base, Multiplan Bulgaria can offer the same suite of leading project solutions. Working closely with CIVMEC over the past decade, Multiplan has delivered projects ranging from large mining projects to complex infrastructure through our Flexible and Robust workflows and superior industry experience. CIVMEC is a respected industry leader in engineering construction and we value being able to partner with CIVMEC to deliver numerous iconic projects. One of the more iconic projects delivered as a service provider to CIVMEC was the Matagarup Bridge in Perth, Western Australia. This is a 370-metre-long, 72-metre-high, suspension bridge delivering pedestrian access over the Swan River to the new Burswood Stadium Precinct. Multiplan provided precision fabrication models and drawings in direct collaboration with the designers for the 72 pre-cambered modules which expedited fabrication and erection of this amazing bridge. Multiplan has extensive experience delivering premium services to the global mining and infrastructure sector working in both Australian and European standards. Over the last two and a half decades, Multiplan has transitioned through 3 generations of drafting technology. It is our partnership with AutoDesk TM that has seen us excel in delivering higher level projects. Autodesk’s Advance-Steel TM is a CAD application specifically for 3D modelling and detailing of steel structures. It contains a large library of intelligent parametric structural elements, steel connections and automatic tools for miscellaneous steelwork. Autodesk’s Advance-Steel TM was developed by French company GRAITEC who specialised in software related to civil and structural works since 1986. Multiplan has invested in the full complementing suite of software from Autodesk which includes REVIT TM for Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Navisworks TM which is the leading 3D design review package. This software suite allows flexible workflows customised to suit any design inputs and requirements for project deliverables.
Multiplan Design and Drafting A: Suite 12, 4 Queen Street, Bentley, WA 6102 T: +61 (08) 9356 5993 E: info@multiplan.com.au
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CIVMEC
“We’ve always built our own facilities. Our plan at the time was to do everything over the years in Australia,” Tallon says. “Australia is not an economical place when it comes to labour but it has a skilled and educated workforce. At our Western Australian waterfront facility, we started with five hectares of land and over a ten-year development programme, we have increased that landholding to 20 hectares and built extensive facilities. We have a lot of very modern equipment and very large facilities to take on big projects particularly for the resources sector. There are two homes for shipbuilding and sustainment in Australia, so our latest facility will allow us to take part in that and will also give us the ability to build large modules and material handling equipment under cover. We also have a facility at Newcastle in New South Wales for heavy engineering and precast manufacturing and we also have an extensive list of plant and equipment to support our operations at our facilities and construction
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sites across Australia. Since inception, we have spent approximately $100 million on training our people including offering apprenticeships, graduate programmes and various forms of in-house staff development. We’re investing in apprenticeships which have significantly reduced here in Australia because manufacturing had declined but us bringing that back in, showing our clients it’s possible to build cost-effectively to high quality in Australia.” As well as these major facilities Civmec also has smaller facilities at various strategic locations around the country.
“ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE HAVE A DIRECT WORKFORCE IS THE SAFETY CULTURE.”
“We have the capability to establish ourselves at a particular location for a couple of years, establishing for the duration of a project or a series of campaign maintenance activities,” Tallon explains. As well as growing their talent pool and facilities, Civmec is also aiming to grow its portfolio into a more diverse array of income streams. “We’ve been very reliant on major projects, which can be cyclical, but we’re also seeking more revenue streams such as long-term shipbuilding and maintenance,” Tallon tells us. “The cyclical nature of the business can be a challenge. If you have 500 people coming off a project you want more work for them ready and waiting. This is always a challenge and a concern because you want to keep these people employed.” Indeed, through Civmec’s expansion process, Tallon believes people are the company’s most important resource. “Finding the right people would be the number one focus and it can be a challenge in buoyant markets. Everyone loves the idea of expansion, but you need a solid return on investment, knowing you will get a solid return on the capital invested,” Tallon says. “We are very much a blue-collar business with white-collar support and staff are here to support what the people on the ground are actually doing. We recognise the strengths and limitations of individuals and we bring together strengths that complement each other across the engineering and construction sectors for the best possible outcomes.” Civmec’s strategy of keeping all their employees in-house is not simply a branding issue. For Tallon, it is also one of safety and culture building.
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CIVMEC
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CIVMEC
“OUR FOCUS IS ON RELIABLE RETURNS, UTILISATION OF ASSETS AND STRONG REVENUES. WE WANT TO HAVE A CONSISTENT INCREASE IN REVENUES OVER TIME. WE’RE A SOLID RELIABLE RESILIENT COMPANY.” “One of the main reasons we have a direct workforce is the safety culture. It’s hard to bring someone in for a short period of time and imbue them with that real caring manner that’s part of the culture of the business,” Tallon insists. “So we make sure people fit in and understand the culture of the business. We’re people-focused. They’re a strong loyal workforce and we’re here to support that workforce, setting them up for success.”
SURVIVING COVID-19
Safety has been a major priority for everyone this year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “When we had the first wave in Western Australia, we were lucky in being accustomed to the nature of the pandemic. We prepared quite quickly,” Tallon says. “We were very concerned initially about our facilities, having people working in close proximity to each other, and that it could halt operations. So we put in stringent measures well in advance. These included temperature checking, staggering break times and seating allocations in the lunchroom, and we put a lot of other controls in place. Thankfully we’ve had no cases in our facilities and as it transpires have worked heavily with our clients in a sector that is propping up the economy. We’ve also been learning from the experience, cutting down on flights or numbers of people in vehicles, cutting down the spread as much as we can.
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We found a lot of benefits to conducting meetings via Teams and Zoom, cutting down on the need to travel. It’s a good time to be in Western Australia because it’s an isolated place.” The main impact COVID has had on Civmec’s business has been within the maintenance division that makes up approx. 15 to 20% of its business. The maintenance division has seen a portion of activity deferred, but not cancelled. Tallon points out, “Where you might have had a larger shutdown for 300 people, the client has opted for two, three or four much more targeted specific area maintenance jobs to have fewer people on-site at any one time, thereby reducing the risk.” Right now, Tallon is looking to the future. “We now have a tenyear development and build programme behind us. Right now, while we are a reasonably new player in the defence shipbuilding sector, we are having a good start for the project that we are doing for the Navy. We’re involved in supplying the steel for all 12 vessels and actually building ten of the vessels here in Henderson at our new facility,” Tallon tells us. “Our key focus is to do a really good job and give the Commonwealth a quality product in a timely manner. Our focus is on reliable returns, utilisation of assets and strong revenues. We want to have a consistent increase in revenues over time. We’re a solid reliable resilient company.”
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Jamil Jadallah Managing Director, National Engineering Bureau
NATIONAL ENGINEERING BUREAU
WE RETURN TO THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING BUREAU AND FIND OUT HOW THE COMPANY HAS BEEN GROWING AND DEVELOPING SINCE WE LAST SAW THEM.
MAKING SUCCESS FEASIBLE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER
The National Engineering Bureau’s history goes back to the establishment of the company in 1984 when it was established as a consulting engineering company. Since then the company has developed a range of specialist expertise in the architectural, structural and engineering fields, while the business’s network of offices has spread across the United Arab Emirates with licences in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The National Engineering Bureau has carried out projects in India, Kuwait, and Bahrain. When we last spoke with the company they were working hard to expand into other countries, carrying out a range of projects from residential to schools, to shopping malls that were feasible and affordable buildings.
“T
he National Engineering Bureau has built a reputation on the foundation of its engineering. They understand the needs of their clients, and so are practised in creating profitable buildings that are pleasing to the eye, highly efficient and reasonable in cost. As Managing Director Jamil Jadallah Naji told us during our last interview, “Needs are changing, people need more affordable buildings,
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greener buildings, so we’re training people to keep up with that.”
COUNTING THE COST
The cornerstone of NEB’s approach is that a workable design needs to be economical and functional, and they are experts and balancing these different parameters to make a design which is not only good looking but constructible and feasible. NEB’s people
look at their designs from the perspective of the client and end-users. Speaking with Jadallah Naji today it’s clear the business’s goals and methods haven’t changed. “We do all types of projects from residential to commercial offices, hospitals, hotels, apartments, malls, villas, and we do all of this in-house,” Jadallah Naji says. While the National Engineering Bureau’s philosophy and approach haven’t changed, the world has, and the market is growing ever more competitive as purse strings are getting tighter. “The competition in the market is high and this year that has increased by the coronavirus. So it is the equation of demand and supply, because with prices like this people’s jobs are affected,” Jadallah Naji tells us. “How can we pay? How can we compete in the market and convince people to go ahead with their projects?”
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NATIONAL ENGINEERING BUREAU
workers to be spaced apart from each other and supplied PPE and medical support, checkup points,” Jadallah Naji says. “We also put people into rotas with some people working one week, others working another week and other people working from home. We kept everyone on track. People want to work, not stay at home. So, we found ways to look at who will work, who will stay at home and we are very proud work was not affected. People are back but we are keeping precautions in place.”
National Engineering Bureau office, where the magic happens.
It’s the type of environment where the National Engineering Bureau’s dedication to pragmatic, realistic costing and design can put them ahead. “We ask how much total investment is needed and how much income will come from it. Customers are always looking to maximise income, so we do the proper design with the minimum cost of the project,” Jadallah Naji explains. “The design will be done to reduce the cost of the project and also to see what we need to do to meet the demands of the end-users. We ask what they are looking to have from the project. We have to satisfy that need, whether it’s how the apartments should be sized, or if it’s a school we ask what facilities are needed to encourage parents to send their kids to these schools, or if it’s a hotel or hospital see how we can increase the occupancy of these projects with proper design and proper facilities. We give it all the advantages we can and see how much we can work hard to make the cost of these projects feasible, to
keep the income of the client reasonable.”
FINDING AND NURTURING TALENT
To maintain these standards, the National Engineering Bureau needs a team of people who understand that pragmatic perspective, something the company can only build through careful recruitment and training. “We try to hunt for talented with the proper experience and who understand the requirements of the market and the people in it,” Jadallah Naji says. “These people are initiated into our design process. We try to find people who are talented but we also have to train the people through our own courses and seminars. We share our information, anyone who gets more information from the client will spread it to the rest of the team, we share all of our ideas.” With the advent of the COVID crisis, the National Engineering Bureau is taking steps to ensure it protects that very team. “We took all the necessary precautions. We arranged for
“THE COMPETITION IN THE MARKET IS HIGH & THIS YEAR THAT HAS INCREASED BY THE CORONAVIRUS.”
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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
While the National Engineering Bureau is continuing to grow and prosper, even during these difficult times, it is clear talking to Jadallah Naji that he doesn’t believe this is a time to grow complacent. “Looking to the future is always the challenge. Success today won’t count as success in one year or two years,” he tells us. “We want to move with the market and adopt new ideas, whether it’s in software or the design. With any new modification or innovation, all the software and new techniques, we train our people. We always keep an eye on what’s coming through in materials science, structure and chemicals. It’s all a knowledge upgrade to keep in mind for our latest project.” The National Engineering Bureau is constantly growing, constantly learning, and keeping up to date with the latest developments in the field to offer the best and most costefficient designs. But their core values remain the same. “We are always working to try to stay in the market, stay in a good position, concentrating on these things to deliver unique projects,” Jadallah Naji says.
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The former Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Esther McVey, talks through the plans for Kitchener Barracks in 2019 with TopHat co-founder & CEO, Jordan Rosenhaus.
TOPHAT
TOPHAT DESIGNS, MANUFACTURES, DELIVERS AND INSTALLS MODULAR TIMBER-FRAME HOUSES THAT ARE BOTH AFFORDABLE AND MEET THE LATEST SUSTAINABILITY REQUIREMENTS.
MODULAR EXCELLENCE PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID GARNER
The company utilises precision-led modern methods of construction (MMC) technology to produce high-quality, customisable homes at pace. TopHat was founded in 2016 to take a different approach to house building - the company manufactures homes in a controlled environment to remove uncertainties, improve quality and to reduce costs. “We have a simple vision,” says Jordan Rosenhaus, TopHat’s co-founder and CEO. “To manufacture beautiful homes to the highest quality and environmental standards, using the latest technology to keep costs as low as possible.”
“T
opHat commenced production in early 2018 at its manufacturing facility in South Derbyshire, implementing industry-leading technology and manufacturing processes. Last year TopHat secured a £75m investment from Goldman Sachs, a clear endorsement of the company’s fast, efficient and high standard way of working, as well as of the concept of modular housing as one answer to the UK housing shortage. With sound financial backing, the company is in robust shape and is now entering an exciting phase of increasing sales and growth. High quality and affordability were the company’s key drivers at the beginning and continue to be its core aspects today. Using the latest production technology and advancements in engineering, the company has increased productivity,
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controlling every aspect of product delivery to waste less material, save time and improve quality. The technology governs the end-to-end production process from the initial design through manufacture to delivery and installation. TopHat’s software enables smarter design and ensures that the quality of the product is traced through every step of the manufacturing process. Innovation is a continuous process at TopHat. One example is its proprietary cladding system - TopHat’s “3D-printed” bricks come in a huge array of colours and designs and are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing while increasing thermal performance and build quality. It has also been rigorously tested against fire, making it one of the safest systems in the industry.
AFFORDABLE HIGH-QUALITY
So what are the benefits of a timber modular home for a resident? “The houses are built in a controlled factory environment, which means better quality. Think of precision engineering with a couple of millimetres’ tolerances. In the factory there are some 27 quality stations checking every stage of the work – that level of supervision and quality can never be achieved on a building site,” says Neill Tickle, Director of Partnerships and Business Development.
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MODULAR MOVEMENTS LTD PROVIDING SPECIALIST LOGISTICS AND SUPPORTING TOPHAT. We are a specialist logistics company providing transportation to the modular construction industry. Our management team draw on 45 years’ experience in the transportation of abnormal loads. Operating one of the largest specialist fleets in the industry, with almost 300 bespoke vehicles including trailers, flats, single and extending low loaders, wafer decks and hiabs. Working in partnership with Tophat, our extensive knowledge and specialized fleet ensure that their modern spacious designs (5.6m wide!) are safely maneuvered from factory to site. Additional services include project management, site & route surveys, applications for road closures and removal of street furniture, storage, pilot vehicles & appointed persons for lifting operations.
Contact: 01482 635440 enquiries@modularmovements.com
www.modularmovements.com Modular Movements LTD, Brickyard Lane, Melton, North Ferriby, HU14 3HD
Incorporated in 1950 as a family run business supplying aluminium window frames for narrow boats, 70 years on, Euramax is now a leading manufacturer of PVCu windows, doors and composite doors. Supplying a range of sectors including builders’ merchants, homeowners and modular construction, Euramax’s innovative approach means their products are suitable for numerous customers. Euramax’s bespoke made-to-measure service allows customers the freedom to design their own products to exact specifications, whether it’s for a home renovation or modular build project. Discover more about how Euramax supplies its products to modular building and construction projects, by heading over to www.euramaxuk.com. Euramax Solutions Ashroyd Business Park, Ashroyds Way, Platts Common, Barnsley, S74 9SB, United Kingdom Tel: 0330 1340290 Fax: 01226 740844 Email Address: info@euramaxuk.com
www.euramaxuk.com
twitter.com/EuramaxDirect
EURAMAX SOLUTIONS MODULAR CONSTRUCTION AND PROJECT PREDICTABILITY According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), 60 per cent of construction projects are not completed on time. Modular builds can provide faster project completion, but what are the risks and benefits of this growing construction method? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director of window and door supplier to the offsite construction industry, Euramax, explains.
linkedin.com/company/Euramax
When TopHat modules are ready they are transported to site where they are made waterproof and liveable within just a couple of weeks – meaning homes are delivered much faster than traditional builds.
Reports suggest that modular construction can deliver projects 50 per cent faster than traditional construction while maintaining the same high quality. No surprises then, that the technique is considered the next mega trend in construction. 60 to 90 per cent of a modular build is constructed offsite, typically, inside a factory environment. Constructing the build elsewhere means work can start simultaneously alongside preparation of the site. Assembling modules in a factory also means there is greater quality control — unlike a site environment, faults can be resolved before the modules are fixed to the larger construction. This saves remanufacturing time and produces a more accurate build. Manufacturing in a controlled environment also means external factors, such as weather conditions, cannot interrupt the development. For time-sensitive projects, minimising this risk is essential. Euramax has acquired 70 years of manufacturing experience, ideal for intricate modular construction projects that require accurate, high-quality features, such as windows and doors. While it’s not possible to predict that a project will run smoothly, choosing reputable suppliers for modular construction projects can reduce delays, ensuring efficient completion and minimise the risk of any construction hiccups. www.euramaxuk.com
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TOPHAT
“So the first benefit is quality, and the second is the lower cost. That’s both lower capital cost to build the homes as well as cheaper costs to run the homes once built. We source our materials in a sustainable manner, we buy in bulk and our labour cost is lower. In summary, our houses are built better, are considerably cheaper than other build methods and they are quick to build and assemble. This means developers get income faster and more importantly, people are housed sooner. From the point of order placement, it takes just six weeks from starting the process in the factory to a happy resident moving into their completed property.” The homes arrive on site 90% completed and need only final adjustment and finishing so the process is dramatically shorter than more traditional build methods. He further points out that TopHat’s unique selling points include the range of options customers get when buying a home (similar to choosing the options when buying a new car), including increased energy performance. “Energy efficiency is another clear competitive advantage, the result of the way the homes are built and the way the quality is assured at each construction stage. We deliver outstanding energy performance as standard and can offer heat recovery and solar PV to achieve zero-carbon accredited homes at minimal additional cost.”
SUSTAINABLE HOMES FOR AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
Modular construction, although not new, seems a promising upcoming solution to the UK housing shortage, promoted by advancements in artificial intelligence and virtual reality
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The state of the art TopHat factory is based in South Derbyshire.
assisted design, as well as improved offsite manufacturing techniques for houses and apartments. “The time feels absolutely right now,” affirms Mr Tickle, noting that increased demand is already evident. The first residential site that has used TopHat’s product is the historic Kitchener Barracks in Chatham, Kent, a showcase for the company’s unique and design-differentiated products. The first phase of the project has been completed with residents
now moved in, with the second phase already underway. Recently, the company has received a major boost when BoKlok UK, jointly owned by Skanska and IKEA, appointed TopHat to deliver its housing offering in the UK. The fiveyear contract will see TopHat work with BoKlok on a number of development sites nationally. The first of the schemes will be Airport Road, Bristol. The houses delivered by TopHat homes will be made with
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TOPHAT
The ground floor of a modular home is lifted into place at Kitchener Barracks in Chatham, Kent.
“WE HAVE A SIMPLE VISION - TO MANUFACTURE BEAUTIFUL HOMES TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP COSTS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.” timber frames and will feature key BoKlok characteristics such as natural light, low energy consumption and IKEA fittings. All homes will be BOPAS (Building Offsite Property Assurance Scheme) certified. “The new partnership is a really good endorsement for us. BoKlok is a wellestablished company who have vast experience building timber homes in their native Scandinavia and we look forward to working with them as they enter the UK market,” says Mr Tickle.
GROWING WITH DEMAND
There are a number of exciting deals in the offing as MMC becomes more commonplace and people become more aware
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of the clear benefits. Developer Urban & Civic recently announced their deal with TopHat on their development in Houlton, Rugby. “Our Derby facility can produce about 1,000 homes a year at full capacity while sustaining very high quality, and we are considering where our next factory may be - growth is very much the plan,” admits Mr Tickle. Concluding, he affirms that TopHat is always looking at new partnership opportunities. “We work with housing associations, councils, investment funds as well as developers and contractors to find ways in which our solutions may help the community. The fact that the government has expressed
A completed home by TopHat. strong support for modular housing, that means housing that is green, high quality and affordable to address the new home requirements, clearly plays into our hands. Based on the three attributes of high quality, sustainability and affordability, our concept meets the upcoming needs of the housing market just perfectly.”
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HELEN LTD.
WE LEARN HOW HELEN LTD IS HEADING TOWARDS A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE BY MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS TODAY.
DRIVEN BY THE CUSTOMER PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR
Helen is an energy company that operates all over in Finland, the company has also invested in European energy-related startups. It’s the second-largest energy company in the country with 1 billion euros of revenue and 1,000 people working for it alongside a network of partners.
Juha-Pekka Weckström, CEO & President of Helen Ltd.
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“W
e have both our own production and production through associated companies across the board,” says Juha-Pekka Weckström, Helen Ltd.’s CEO. “That includes versatile heating production with heat pumps, biomass, wind power, hydro and nuclear power, and today also still partly with fossil fuels. Helen is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2035. We are a fully-fledged energy company with almost 550,000 electricity customers and 1.7 million Finns use our services in their daily lives.” Helen Ltd was founded in 1909, and so brings a wealth of experience to their work. The company has been doing that work in Finland’s capital, a
hot spot, and produces district heating, districting cooling and electricity alongside all other solutions demanded by households and corporates in the country. In all that time, what separates Helen Ltd from other energy companies, even in the renewables sector, is how the company is driven by its customers. “Helen was founded by the City of Helsinki to ensure warmth and light - district heating and electricity - for the citizens,” comments former CEO Pekka Manninen, who retired last Spring. “Now Helen, together with the entire energy sector, is transforming. The new carbon neutral and customer-centric strategy provides the backbone to succeed in the future.”
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Turning waste energy into added value Friotherm engineers, manufactures, installs and services heat pumps and chillers with technologies and solutions that help clients to improve their business. Friotherm is recognized as the only European manufacturer of centrifugal compressors for heat pumps and chillers. The activities of Friotherm are supported by a world wide sales & service network.
Friotherm specialities: Heat pumps and liquid chillers District heating and district cooling High temperature applications Energy recovery from waste water Energy recovery from flue gas cleaning Ground and surface water exploitation Industrial waste heat recovery
Friotherm AG Langfeldstrasse 104 CH-8500 Frauenfeld, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0)52 724 77 00 E-Mail: info@friotherm.com
www.friotherm.com
FRIOTHERM AG YOU NAME IT – WE BUILD IT! Friotherm is founded 2005 from a management buyout, building on 127 years of successful refrigeration history, which began with Sulzer Bros., Winterthur, Switzerland. Today based in Frauenfeld, Friotherm is the only European manufacturer of a complete series of turbo chillers and refrigeration systems (Unitop®) for use as high performance liquid chillers and heat pumps, with Branch offices are located in Brazil, China, France, Germany and Sweden. Swiss pioneer companies were the first to realize functioning heat pumps, with the first installation delivered by Sulzer for the Zurich town hall in 1938, an installation that is still in its original place today. Sulzer did start the refrigeration business in 1878, with the first Unitop® centrifugal chiller following in 1958. Detailed knowledge of the dynamic processes of turbo compressors for more than 70 years, an in-house development group and realistic simulations of the overall system behaviour enable Friotherm to realise customer-specific optimised solutions. Friotherm’s customers for heat pumps are mainly companies from the energy sector and large municipalities. Installed 2006 in caverns beneath Helsinki’s Katri Vala Park is the world largest heat pump plant to produce heat and cooling. The plant’s capacity is 105 MW heat and 70 MW cooling and it exploits heat from purified wastewater. In 2021 and 2022, with 3 additional Unitop 50FY heat pumps, Helen is increasing the capacity of the Katri Vala plant by almost 45%. The carbon dioxide emissions of the heat pumps are 80% smaller than for heat production plants of identical capacity, burning heavy fuel oil or coal. A plant of comparable capacity equipped with Unitop® heat pumps from Friotherm is operating in Stockholm since 1985, using seawater as heat source. “Show me a client who would upgrade off the shelf chillers or heat pumps after 15 years and then again after 20 years!” says Frédy Burkhalter, CEO of Friotherm. Continuing, he says “All our installations are tailor-made, how else could we otherwise meet our client’s real requirements?” adding “the top quality in combination with highest reliability and longevity of our Unitop® heat pumps are the corner stones of our success”. In addition to other industrial applications, district cooling is becoming increasingly important over the last years. Unitop® chillers from Friotherm serve the district cooling supply systems of various cities in Europe, including Paris with its famous places like the Louvre, George V and the Opera. Frédy Burkhalter CEO & co-owner of Friotherm, believes that what the clients really estimate are products and services they can trust and rely on for years to come. Clearly, the focus of his position is on mutual success of client/user and supplier. A worldwide service network that supports customers according to their needs supplements the Friotherm product range. Regularly trained specialists have knowledge and experience in every compressor and system application. They provide the necessary services, whether it is simple assistance, a consultation, analysis of an existing system, revision work or the fulfilment of a major service contract.
www.friotherm.com
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HELEN LTD.
“We strive to be the most customer-driven company and a forerunner in the energy business,” says Weckström. “We’re not just serving customers with faster utilities but add-on services and new services, including eMobility services, solar power, dedicated wind power services, all kinds of cooling and heating storage, on top of the traditional services.”
“WE STRIVE TO BE THE MOST CUSTOMERDRIVEN COMPANY AND A FORERUNNER IN THE ENERGY BUSINESS. WE’RE NOT JUST SERVING CUSTOMERS WITH FASTER UTILITIES BUT ADD-ON SERVICES AND NEW SERVICES, INCLUDING EMOBILITY SERVICES, SOLAR POWER, DEDICATED WIND POWER SERVICES, ALL KINDS OF COOLING AND HEATING STORAGE, ON TOP OF THE TRADITIONAL SERVICES.” BUILT ON PARTNERSHIPS
The keystone of Helen Ltd.’s approach is that the company itself doesn’t function as an island but as part of an interconnected network of businesses and people working together. A prominent show of partnering is Helen Ventures, Helen’s Corporate Venture which will invest in the coming years 50 million euros in the most innovative and transformative European startups in the energy sector.
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HELEN LTD.
“Partnerships are obviously very important. I would stress there are two kinds of partnership which are of importance,” Weckström says. “One is the power plant suppliers. We have trusted brands and good technology providers and businesses who can help us in making the carbon-neutral objective a reality.” This means working with partners such as Sumitomo SHI FW, a provider of energy and environmental technologies and services focusing on high efficiency and flexible generation of energy, and Gradyent, a Dutch start-up and Helen Venture’s recent investment, that develops heat production with artificial intelligence.
“OFTEN CUSTOMERS DEMAND RENEWABLE ENERGY & CARBON NEUTRALITY. WE DELIVER. WE’RE NOT JUST BUILDING SERVICES AND PUSHING THEM TO MARKET. THERE IS A CUSTOMER PULL AND WE FULFIL THEIR NEEDS. SO BOTH SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT.” 88 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
THE POWER OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS
through decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization of the energy industry
We are the premier global supplier of innovative circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technologies and energy storage solutions, providing sustainable value to our customers through our relentless drive for environmentally sound and reliable energy solutions. ►
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SUMITOMO SHI FW - MAKING A 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE POSSIBLE TODAY SUMITOMO SHI FW (SFW) CFB BOILER TECHNOLOGY SHALL BE UTILIZED AT VUOSAARI BIOENERGY PLANT SFW will provide to HELEN Ltd a circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) boiler for the new Vuosaari bioenergy plant, located next to Helen’s existing power plant site in Vuosaari, Helsinki Finland. This new plant will assist Helen’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035. SFW will supply the CFB boiler island along with flue gas cleaning, auxiliary equipment and a boiler house. Heat production from the new plant will start during the heating season of 2022-2023. This bioenergy heating plant, with a fuel heat input of 220 MW, will use forest based biomass as the main fuel. Tomas Harju-Jeanty, CEO, Sumitomo SHI FW said: “SFW is enthusiastically participating in development of a carbon free future together with Helen. We are proud to have our innovative CFB boiler technology selected as one of the steps in Helen’s goal to phase out the use of coal combustion.” A GLOBAL COMPANY BASED IN FINLAND Since our beginning, our mission has always been to provide innovative and environmentally sound energy solutions to our customers. Our vision today is focused on solutions related to decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization to help transform the world’s global energy infrastructure toward a clean and sustainable energy delivery system. Over our history, we have changed conventional markets by offering innovated solutions outside of the mainstream market. The prime example of this is our circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion boilers and gasifiers. While the mainstream market was building conventional pulverized coal and grate fired power plants, we were building power and industrial plants with clean-burning, fuel-flexible CFB combustion technology. History has shown that our CFB technology set new standards for clean combustion and gasification. As the needs of our client’s change, we change too. A good example of this occurred in the late 2000s when climate change and CO2 emissions first became an important issue to Europe and the US. In response, we developed a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology for our CFB boilers called “FlexiBurn”. Today we are focusing our talent on solutions to help transition our energy infrastructure toward renewables. Our recent partnership with High View Power (HVP) is a good example of us transforming with the market and customer’s need with an innovative solution outside of the mainstream market. HVP’s liquid air energy storage technology, can store gigawatthours of electric energy with the flexibility to be built practically anywhere using processes and equipment well proven in the gas industries.
HELEN LTD.
These partnerships work up and down the supply chain, however, and the customer is at the centre of Helen’s vision. “The other category is the customers,” Weckström says. “Often customers demand renewable energy and carbon neutrality. We deliver. We’re not just building services and pushing them to market. There is a customer pull and we fulfil their needs. So both suppliers and customers are important.” While all businesses feel pressure to become carbon neutral from government strategies and, of course, the very real global consequences of climate change, Helen has found inspiration in the passion its customers and suppliers have for building sustainable energy solutions.
FEEDING TIME AT THE ZOO
Among the customers who have driven Helen to innovate and create new clean energy solutions is the Korkeasaari Zoo. It was a job that brought some unique challenges with it, but as Weckström says, “Every customer is different!” “We strive to be customerdriven and nowadays a lot of customers have very strict demands when it comes to carbon-neutral energy supply,” We c k s t r ö m explains.
We see a growing need for larger scale and longer duration electric energy storage driven by ever increasing levels of intermittent wind and solar energy onto electricity grids around the world. There are several energy storage technologies available today, from large scale pumped hydro to small scale Li-ion batteries, but none can practically provide large-scale energy storage with the flexibility to be located wherever the grid needs them. Find out more and visit us at: www.shi-fw.com
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HELEN LTD.
“So a customer like the Korkeasaari Zoo wants to achieve their objectives in carbon neutrality and we’ve built a solution according to their wishes. It’s based on solar power and renewable district heating. Heating is really important obviously. In Finland, there is a bigger need for heat than in Central or Southern Europe and we have heating
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solutions based on renewables.” This zoo is just one example of the kind of customer-driven project Helen excels at. “We have many carbon-neutral energy production projects. We are building the largest heat pump in the world. We have seven heat pumps in the region producing clean energy. A new bioenergy heating plant and other renewable power sources
“WE HAVE MANY CARBON-NEUTRAL ENERGY PRODUCTION PROJECTS. WE ARE BUILDING THE LARGEST HEAT PUMP IN THE WORLD.”
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RADLY INCREASE YOUR WEB TRAFFIC BY UP TO 30% WITH RADLY BANNER AI Helen Ltd., one of the largest energy companies in Finland, significantly improved its digital marketing presence and customer pipeline with Banner AI, the leading tool for ad versioning and optimization. RADLY’s Banner AI boosts dynamic display banner performance by automatically versioning and testing hundreds of banner designs. “During the campaign, we saw a remarkable increase of 10% in ad clicks. At its peak, we even reached 30%,” notes Mikko Koski, RADLY’s COO. “Radly’s AI tool improved our workflow, decreased our workload, and we were happy with the results: it helped boost our digital marketing and bring in a great deal more customers.” tells Kirsi Suihkonen, Digital Sales Manager at Helen Ltd. RADLY is among the leading developers of marketing AI and automation solutions in the Nordic countries. A pioneer in digital transformation, RADLY helps companies develop their business with both ready-made and custom-tailored machine learning and automation solutions. Learn more at www.radly.fi Interested in hearing more? Contact us: contact@radly.fi
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www.gradyent.ai Email: info@gradyent.ai
The new reference for digital insight and control of heating networks. End-2-end optimization & Control
Secure cloud based SaaS
• Optimize whole network end-to-end: from source to customer
• Always up-to-date
• Built for optimization
Granular thermodynamic modelling • Dynamically forecast and optimize in realtime
Powered by AI
• Artificial Intelligence learns how to optimize your network
• Automatically adapt as your network expands over time
• No need to replace any systems • Securely access from anywhere you allow
Rapid setup and payback
• Rapid setup as AI learns from your historic network data • Flexible integration with existing solutions • Savings from day 1, payback in < 6 months
Intuitive dashboards
• Clear overviews of current network status • No ‘black box’: operator stays in control at all times
LOGSTOR repeats success
Now, almost 30 years later, Helen OY has once again chosen LOGSTOR to build a new 20 km pipeline in that same tunnel. We are proud to be a part of the Helen project, which must be completed by September 2022.
In 1993, LOGSTOR Finland won one of the largest District Heating orders in history; a 30km DN1000/1200 pipeline to be built in one of the largest tunnels under the city of Helsinki.
LOGSTOR Danmarksvej 11, 9670 Løgstør, Denmark Tel: +45 9966 1000 Email: logstor@logstor.com
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HELEN LTD.
GRADYENT WE TRANSFORM DISTRICT HEATING NETWORKS WITH THE POWER OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE District heating is becoming increasingly important in the world’s quest for fossil-free energy supply. Many heating providers have the ambition to modernize their systems into 3rd and 4th generation networks, which increases complexity through combinations of sources, mixing stations and buffers with systems running at much lower temperatures. However, to operate these systems, digital systems are needed, which so far fail to meet the requirements. First of all they require thousands of parameters to setup. Secondly, they operate in silos and fail to optimize the end-to-end system. Finally, they are unable to keep track of the frequent changes that district heating networks are going through. The Gradyent technology solves this via unique “adaptive digital twin” technology. This system provides reliable information on network behaviour and gives a highly granular view of the heating demand, even beyond the location of the sensors. Not only in the present, but also in the past and – through our advanced forecasting module – also 24 hours ahead. demand. This info is critically important for any person or system making control or design decisions for a network, and wants to prevent undersupply in case of rapidly changing demand. Depending on the system setup and bottlenecks, the Gradyent digital twin can be at the core of optimizations such as network temperature (>10 degrees Celsius), heating losses (10-15% reduction), peak load reductions and heatpump efficiency. The system can be setup in around 6 weeks and provides highly intuitive maps interfaces that give insight to operators and asset managers, but is also able to directly send optimized system setpoints on a per-minute basis, including a 24h outlook to anticipate upcoming peak loads. For inquiries please contact info@gradyent.ai
www.gradyent.ai
LOGSTOR ABOUT LOGSTOR More than 50 years of research, exploration and development in close dialogue with our customers have made LOGSTOR the leading manufacturer of pre-insulated pipe systems for any media - a second to none innovative leader, setting higher standards year after year. We invented the pre-insulated pipe, the flexible pipe, unique joints and fittings, and we were the first company to introduce environmentally friendly products for the manufacturing of the best insulation material. We keep pushing boundaries, thus innovating for our customers, and for a better tomorrow. WE FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THE WORLD We believe that we all play an important role in reducing relative energy consumption, and in developing an energy society that counterfights CO2 emission and has no negative impact on our environment. Affordable, stable and sustainable energy will fuel a world of growth and at LOGSTOR, we take responsibility for a cleaner world…. ! In every society, pipe networks are vital parts of the infrastructure. Literally speaking, the pipe systems connect energy production, transmission, distribution and consumption - all the way. LOGSTOR pipe solutions bring people together to create the most efficient energy solutions - ranging from politicians, utility owners, engineers, contractors, consumers and manufacturers. All in an orchestrated approach to fuel and shape the world and combat climate change. Energy efficient pipe systems with the very best insulation properties will ensure that only a minimum of produced energy goes to waste when transported over long distances - no matter if the energy is hot water, cold water, oil, gas or other precious liquids. For more information about the LOGSTOR solutions, please go to our website: www.logstor.com
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are replacing a major coal power plant in Helsinki.,” says Weckström. “And then we have cases like the Korkeasaari Zoo. We’ve also supplied multiple large solar power installations. At the same time, Helen Ltd invests in clean running power plants that provide sustainable energy for all their customers. “We have to take care of both: the production and the customer. Customer-centricity coupled with carbon-neutral production are the cornerstones of our strategy.,” Weckström explains.
WEATHERING THE PANDEMIC
Of course, next to climate change, the other global crisis affecting businesses around the world is the COVID-19 pandemic.
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HELEN LTD.
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HELEN LTD.
“The pandemic has, of course, affected our business, but not massively,” Weckström says. “During the second quarter, electricity consumption in the Helsinki region went down by 10-15%. A lot of the businesses were temporarily closed down. We can see that when services are closed for even a short time, consumption drops in serviceorientated cities like Helsinki.” It’s clear, speaking with Weckström that he is proud of how Helen has performed during this crisis. “A lot of people were working remotely and all our plants were operating without problems. So operationally the first wave of the pandemic was handled extremely well in the company,” he says. “The engineering spirit and pride kept the company running.”
“I THINK THE KEY THING FOR THE PUBLIC IS THAT WE HAVE AMBITIOUS CARBON NEUTRAL TARGETS AND AIM TO BE FULLY CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2035. ALL OUR ACTIONS ARE GEARED TOWARDS THAT TARGET. CUSTOMERCENTRICITY AND DEMAND ARE CENTRAL.”
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HELEN LTD.
Whether it’s driven by the customers, or by Helen Ltd itself, the company’s direction remains the same. “I think the key thing for the public is that we have ambitious carbon neutral targets and aim to be fully carbon neutral by 2035,” Weckström explains. “All our actions are geared towards that target. Customer-centricity and demand are central.”
“WE’RE THE MOST CUSTOMERDRIVEN COMPANY AND A FORERUNNER IN THE ENERGY BUSINESS.” 98 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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SOLENIS
SOLENIS OFFERS ITS CLIENTS UNIQUE CHEMISTRY-BASED SOLUTIONS, BUT THEY ARE OFFERING A SERVICE AS MUCH AS A PRODUCT.
CHEMICAL REACTIONS PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD
Solenis is a unique speciality chemical company combining services with unique chemistries to create solutions for water-intensive industries.
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T
hese solutions encompass improving downtime, reducing maintenance, driving sustainability and optimising production,” explains John Panichella, CEO of Solenis. “A lot of companies sell products, and while we have products as well, our products are encompassed by service and know-how to create unique solutions for our customers.”
What makes these solutions unique is the collaborative way Solenis works with customers to deliver them, as well as the talent and expertise of Solenis’ staff. “If you have a service model like ours, one of our unique attributes is the skill level of our people. The experience they bring to the table allows them to offer a different perspective and I think that’s highly valuable,”
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SOLENIS
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ITALMATCH CHEMICALS Italmatch Chemicals is a leading innovative chemical group, specialized in Performance Additives for the Lubricant, Plastics, Water & Oil markets. It has a wide range of Specialty Chemicals to satisfy most demanding applications, including Personal Care. Italmatch counts on 18 manufacturing plants: seven are in Europe (Italy, Spain, Germany and UK), five in Asia Pacific (China, Japan and India), six in USA. The Company has a global coverage with own subsidiaries in Brazil, Belgium, Poland, USA, Japan, Singapore and China.
is a leading global manufacturer, supplier, solutions provider and innovator of a broad range of specialty water management chemical additives for Industrial Water Treatment & Process, Desalination, Oil & Gas, Geothermal, Mining, Personal Care and HI&I applications. For its major clients like Solenis, Italmatch is providing and developing raw materials which are being used as critical active ingredients in formulated products specifically designed for industrial water and process treatmentapplications like eg Pulp & Paper processes).
The Group has a long-term view and approach in relation to both Customers and Suppliers, and has its strength in commitment and capability to deliver the most demanding technical and logistic tasks, often in conjunction with its major Partners. Italmatch key Customers are global multinationals, leader in Lubricants, Water Treatment and Detergents, Oil & Gas, Engineering Thermoplastics and Agrochemicals.
Italmatch firmly believes in the future of chemistry as building block for human life and sustainable way and path to a brighter future. Italmatch R&D actitivies are organized in innovation hubs, specialized by chemistry and applications. The Group is both involved in short-term innovations and medium/long-term innovation projects. Italmatch can indeed count on a dedicated innovation team: an excellence-based monitor and evaluation action of the global market macro-trends. Italmatch is currently working on the development of sustainable solutions, promoting Circular Economy projects and the recovery of valuable products from nature or from raw materials. Among others, the RecoPhos project for the recovery of Phosphorus from secondary waste materials, and EcoInhibitors, for the development of chemical solutions to produce a new generation of ecofriendly hydrate inhibitors for Oi&Gas application, derived from recovered salmon waste.
Italmatch is a global leader in the Industrial Water & Process Treatment chemical additives markets. Its business unit “Advanced Water Solutions”
Find out more and visit us at: www.italmatch.com
While Italmatch Chemicals considers the EU as its domestic market, the Company has a long and established tradition of exporting worldwide. Thanks to its network subsidiaries, supported by local, experienced agents and distributors based in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, North and South America, C.I.S., South Africa and most Far East countries, over 85% of Italmatch Chemicals turnover is generated by export.
Solenis’ approach to innovation starts with an understanding of customers unmet needs.
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EGM CHEMICAL AND PROCESS FEED EQUIPMENT
Digital solutions offering remote monitoring and control are part of Solenis’ complete package.
The EGM family of businesses, located in Mobile AL, was founded in the year 2000 and operates three divisions, each of which is staffed to provide specialized products and services to municipal, industrial, and heavy commercial customers. The Chemical and Process Equipment division of EGM offers turn-key engineering, design and construction services for customers interested in purchasing prefabricated, skid-mounted process and chemical feed equipment. In addition to building a complete line of proven and reliable systems for specialty chemical make-down and dosing, EGM also has custom system design and fabrication capabilities to construct one-off or custom units. The Automation and Control division of EGM provides complete electrical panel design, construction, and configuration services. The electrical shop is both CSA and UL certified and can construct to a customer’s specific design or handle the project design and fabrication, beginning to end. From simple motor starter panels to customized PLC control systems or explosion proof designs, the staff at EGM’s Automation group is versed in the proper application of automation and control products and how to integrate those products into customer processes. Falling under the same ownership umbrella, the L&L Process Solutions group specifies, sells, and supports a wide range of piping, instrumentation, and special use products for various industrial, municipal, and heavy commercial applications. The L&L Group is an authorized distributor and factory representative agent for many well-known brands and serves its own network of customers as well as serving as a purchasing mechanism for EGM. www.egm-llc.com
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with critical benefits such as reduced water or energy utilization. In addition, helping to manage waste is another key area. We have chemistries that enable paper manufacturers to utilize higher rates of recycling or waste paper and we have unique chemistries that allow customers to have compostable solutions for their paper products. For example, if you are making packaging or paper cups, our technologies allow them to recycle and reuse those materials as well as making them compostable. So, there’s a big aspect of sustainability in the solutions we provide.” This means that every member of Solenis’ team is working hard to deliver value with every project.
John Panichella, CEO of Solenis Panichella tells us. “In many ways, customers think of them as a consultant. Our people, in their training and experiences, provide value to the customer. In addition, a lot of our chemistry is unique. The combination of a unique person and unique chemistry create some great outcomes for customers.”
MEETING DEMAND
Those great outcomes are necessary, as Solenis is working in a demanding sector. “There’s constant pressure from customers. These are big, water-intensive industries that have a lot of operating pressure to drive productivity and cost,” Panichella points out. “It’s a constant challenge our customers face, and that challenge is laid upon us to help them. It is an even
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bigger challenge to do all that sustainably work with the customers. You invest a lot in training and technologies to build a reputation for value, but even when you’ve done that you need to keep working because every day you have to go out and re-earn it.” One area where there is a great deal of customer engagement at the moment is in the arena of sustainability. Our customers are really looking at sustainability because the world is changing around brands and what brand owners are required to do. If you look at any consumer product, sustainability has become very prevalent in today’s business environment,” Panichella says. “Our products, programs and services have historically provided customers
“OUR CUSTOMERS ARE REALLY LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE THE WORLD IS CHANGING AROUND BRANDS AND WHAT BRAND OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO DO.” “Utilizing the saleforce.com platform, we have a program we call ValueAdvantagesm that tracks every customer project targeting a minimum five per cent return on investment. For every one of these projects, we intend to deliver and document this value every year. In most instances, we exceed our targets. Panichella says. “So, if I did a million-dollar project I would be required to document and show you that I saved you 5% of your operating costs by improving your productivity, driving more efficiencies or enhancing equipment reliability.”
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R+L CARRIERS R+L Carriers is a global transportation company, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in safety and customer satisfaction. Since its inception in 1965, the business has remained a family-owned freight shipping enterprise. The original operation was contained in Ohio, ultimately expanding to nationwide service throughout the United States and later achieving global coverage. As an industry leader, R+L Carriers remains at the forefront of logistics and supply chain technology in the 21st century. Customized Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) requests improve the efficiency of document handling, simultaneously increasing operational integrity and visibility. This paired with the capability for in-cab scanning, enable instant notifications at all stages of freight transaction. Using such tools in its arsenal, R+L Carriers upholds its mission to deliver a diverse portfolio of shipping services with exceptional customer care and unparalleled dependability. Flexible and cost-efficient lessthan-truckload (LTL) service throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico constitutes a staple of company operations. Additionally, the nationwide network of service centers presents opportunities to move timesensitive shipments. Such Business Critical solutions offer best-in-class Guaranteed and Expedited Service from one of the industry’s largest fleets. With over 85% percent of trucks using the Final Mile Liftgate Service, customers can even receive freight without a shipping/loading dock at point-of-delivery. The growing ecommerce sector has allowed R+L Carriers international shipping services to prosper. A strategic network of air, ocean and ground transportation services enable the delivery of on-time shipments
worldwide. Logistics professionals provide a single point-of-contact for import/export services and utilize tools such as an automated broker interface and compliance support to provide customs brokerage on worldwide shipments. R+L Carriers also maintains global logistics options for warehousing management and reverse logistics, using a comprehensive network of supply chain infrastructure. This makes the company uniquely positioned to support the movement of large inventory between origin and delivery. Other specialized options include high-value cargo protection using controlled routing, GPS tracking and solutions such as You Crate custom crating and Load & Protect tamper-resistant walls. Looking toward the future, in 2019, R+L Carriers joined the Road to Zero Coalition, a nationwide effort managed by the National Safety Council to end roadway deaths in the U.S. by 2050. Advancing a forwardthinking safety culture and expanding the use of safety technologies has remained paramount within the company since its creation. Currently, the integration of collision mitigation systems into the company fleet has modernized the standard truck, ensuring a safer, more consistent shared driving experience between drivers and commuters. As the logistics industry continues to grow, R+L Carriers remains determined to meet the needs of every customer while championing safety and technological improvement. To speak with a customer service representative please call 800.543.5589 or find out more at www.rlc.com
CEO John Panichella [R] on site at Solenis Bradford UK manufacturing plant – one of 40 plants serving customers worldwide.
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MOTIVATING TALENT
Of course, this is impossible without a dedicated and talented team to identify those programs that provide that kind of value to our customers. “Recruiting talent is pretty important for us, but what’s more important is how we train them,” says Panichella. “We have a process, called TREK where an employee will self-assess against a long list of technical competencies and commercial competencies and say ‘These ten I am really good at but these six I have a real deficiency and want to learn and build my skills in these areas’. We then support that employee’s training and development that will allow them to build those competencies.” This level of talent development extends beyond the front lines of the business, to how they nurture potential next-generation leaders. “I think developing talent is critical, our leadership development program is key. It’s not the technical aspect, it’s how we build leadership throughout the company,” Panichella points out. “We offer numerous leadership programs from entry-level staff development through to our executive leaders. In addition, we have some programs specifically for women. As well as building our team to serve customers we’re building our leadership team.” That team is working under some unusual conditions right now, causing Solenis to reassess a lot of the ways it does things in a post-COVID world. “It’s changed everything, some things for the better, some for the worse. When it comes to our company, I would say we have learned we have to work differently,” Panichella says.
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Solenis combines services on-site for large customers with unique chemistries to create solutions for water-intensive industries.
“I THINK DEVELOPING TALENT IS CRITICAL, OUR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS KEY. IT’S NOT THE TECHNICAL ASPECT, IT’S HOW WE BUILD LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE COMPANY.”
“Like many other companies, we are utilizing virtual tools such as MS Teams internally and with customers to provide technical information. Today, that is more acceptable than it was with customers. As a result, now we can use digital technology to supplement our solutions and add another layer of value.” On a practical safety level, as a chemical company, Solenis was in many ways already suited to working in a post-pandemic environment. “Obviously being a speciality chemical company, safety was a number one priority already, so it wasn’t much of a cultural shift to introduce the kind of measures expected in the post-COVID world,” Panichella points out. “I’m proud of the fact we have over 5,500 employees around the world in 120 countries and
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“RECRUITING TALENT IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US, BUT WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT IS HOW WE TRAIN THEM.” to date, we’ve had only a small number of cases and no one has not reported back to work. So, we have done a good job keeping employees safe. And by the way, we are a critical industry so we worked through the entire pandemic and most of our people are not working remotely. Our commercial people are in customer plants,
our manufacturing sites have had no downtime and our labs have people working at the bench.”
“OUTSIDE-IN” INNOVATION
Looking forward, Solenis wants to continue to build on its value and trust partnership approach with customers. Everything the business is doing is about building its people, its offerings, its capabilities to be trusted partners with its customers and meet their sustainability and operating goals. “That means I have to have the best team, trained constantly, and then I’ve got to continue to invest in technologies to give them tools to solve problems,” Panichella says. “Our approach around how we develop technologies is unique in we have an ‘outside-in’ approach
Solenis’ highly-trained sales representatives collaborate with customers to help solve problems and drive value.
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EGM CHEMICAL AND PROCESS FEED EQUIPMENT EGM has been designing and building the most reliable specialty chemical feed system for 20 years. The ability to achieve year over year growth for two decades is because the team at EGM has prior work history in technical application, sales, support, and product development in the specialty chemical field. This experience allows the group at EGM a level of insight as to how equipment needs to be built that no other company possesses and is just one reason why EGM is the preferred specialty chemical equipment constructor for so many customers in so many markets. EGM controls all aspect of manufacturing in-house. Engineering, CAD, welding, pipefitting, assembly, panel construction, PLC programming, and instrument configuration is all handled in-house allowing for high speed work without relying on others. The staff’s in-depth knowledge and intimacy with each system also provides for capable support by phone or service technician site visit to help client companies with their chemical equipment needs. With a fundamental understanding that the proper application of chemistry can be used to solve process related problems, EGM maintains a massive inventory of key parts and components to allow for quick build times knowing that any process upsets that impact production or environmental aspects of operation require fast deployment of equipment. This investment and commitment to inventory not only keeps build speed high, but also serves as a source of ready spare parts for customers.
“AT SOLENIS, WE THINK DEVELOPING TALENT IS CRITICAL, OUR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS KEY. IT’S NOT THE TECHNICAL ASPECT, IT’S HOW WE BUILD LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE COMPANY. WE OFFER NUMEROUS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS FROM ENTRY-LEVEL STAFF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TO OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN. AS WELL AS BUILDING OUR TEAM TO SERVE CUSTOMERS WE’RE BUILDING OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.”
www.egm-llc.com
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Solenis’ helps their customers manage or conserve natural resources such as water, energy and fiber.
to developing technology not ‘inside-out’. In our laboratories, our scientists do not sit around wondering what customers want, or just ask people in the field what customers want. We embark on an in-depth approach to understanding customers’ needs, predominantly their unmet needs, and then really try and understand what kind of solution they require. Only after that process do we invest money to create a solution.”
“OUR APPROACH AROUND HOW WE DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES IS UNIQUE IN WE HAVE AN ‘OUTSIDEIN’ APPROACH TO DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY NOT ‘INSIDE-OUT’” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
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SONNEDIX
SONNEDIX SHOWS US HOW FAR THE SOLAR POWER SECTOR HAS COME IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SUNNY SIDE UP PROJECT MANAGED BY: TIMOTHY GARWOOD
Sonnedix Oita, 38.7MW - Japan.
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Sonnedix is a global independent solar power producer that develops, builds, owns, and operates solar PV plants around the world to harness the power of the sun to build a bright future.
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s a team, we are focused on delivering on our purpose and making sure that we can work responsibly,” says Axel Thiemann, CEO of Sonnedix. “We’re responsible to our shareholders, to society and the communities we operate in, and of course the environment.” While there is no denying that over recent years solar power has taken off, it is not until Thiemann puts that growth in concrete terms that the benefits of solar power become clear. “We took the equivalent of almost 100,000 cars off the road with solar power last year,” he tells us. “Our largest market is Europe where we are among the five largest solar power
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THE
POW
ER O
F RIS
ING
Annual Capacity: 12GWp BNEF: Tier 1 Company
VAL
UE ！
Risen Energy is a Tier 1 leading manufacturer, with “AAA” credit rating, manufacturer of high-performance solar photovoltaic products and provider of total business solutions for residential, commercial and utility-scale power generation. The company, founded in 1986, and publicly listed in 2010, compels value generation for its chosen global customers. Techno-commercial innovation, underpinned by consummate quality and support, encircle Risen Energy’s total Solar PV business solutions which are among the most powerful and cost-effective in the industry. With local market presence and strong financial bankability status, we are committed, and able, to building strategic, mutually beneficial collaborations with our partners, as together we capitalize on the rising value of green energy.
CSMO
Chaudary@risenenergy.com
TEL: +86-136-56473355
Tashan Industry Zone, Meilin, Ninghai, Zhejiang, PRC
Bypina Veerraju Chaudary
SONNEDIX
Axel Thiemann CEO of Sonnedix producers in France, Italy and Spain and we’re also very active in terms of future growth in Japan - we’re one of the largest foreign solar power producers there – and in Chile, where our largest plant yet is currently under construction.” Sonnedix has consolidated its place in the growing solar marketplace thanks to a technically orientated, detailfocused approach. “We are incredibly dedicated. It allows us to act quickly and catch opportunities in the markets we operate in as and when they occur,” Thiemann says. “This lets us drive the best out of the technology we’re dealing with. We’re well-funded and able to deliver a growth trajectory in a reliable way that
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also allows us to build long-term relationships with our business partners.” Indeed, the long-term is a core part of Sonnedix’s strategy. And for Sonnedix, long-term does not just mean “five or ten years down the road”. “We’re a business for the long term that focuses on highquality solar plants that we can run and operate and optimise for the next 25 to 35 years,” Thiemann says. “Meanwhile, our global reach lets us bring best practice from across the globe.”
THE RISING SUN
Of course, as the market grows, it also becomes a more competitive playing field, and there has been no time for Sonnedix to rest on its laurels.
“Solar power’s been on a tremendous growth trajectory. The capacity ten years ago was 0.2% of global consumed electricity now it is more than 2.8%. It’s grown more than tenfold in that period, driven by tremendous progress and innovation in the technology and by solar being recognised as a reliable, trustworthy investment that is a very attractive business area,” Thiemann says. “That’s attracting increasing competition, sometimes from other larger players.” To distinguish themselves Sonnedix is continuing to focus on innovation and building long-term relationships to stay competitive in the solar power space. “We want to find and develop the right sites and contracts, deliver on our commitments for sustainable growth to deliver cost-efficient green electricity,” Thiemann says. Innovation is one of the key battlefields in the increasingly competitive solar power market, but fortunately, Sonnedix is a veteran.
“WE’VE SEEN DRAMATIC INCREASES IN EFFICIENCY, WITH MUCH MORE ELECTRICITY BEING GENERATED FROM THE SAME SURFACE AREA THAN TEN YEARS AGO.” POWERED BY INNOVATION
“It helps that we’re built on change and innovation. We have seen, for example, innovation comes in different dimensions. We have seen the equipment we need going through dramatic changes in reliability, longevity and cost. We’ve seen dramatic increases
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in efficiency, with much more electricity being generated from the same surface area than ten years ago,” Thiemann tells us. “We’re seeing innovation in how these sites are managed and operated in terms of digitalization, predictive maintenance, cleaning and dealing with incidents. We have seen innovation on the financial side, how we can finance these plants in the most efficient way to be competitive and this is continuing. It is not something that ever stops driving us forward. We see continuous change for higher efficiency and output and definitely, that’s part of the DNA of the company.” Sonnedix Talayuela, 5.8MW - Spain.
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Sonnedix Atacama, 170MW - Chile. A challenge that has demanded innovation from businesses around the world has been the COVID-19 pandemic. “First and foremost, it’s a human crisis and everybody has been affected,” Thiemann acknowledges. “We’ve had people affected within the team, we’ve had relatives, friends of team members who’ve been infected. It’s taken a toll – but we have come through it through a focus on the team.” Sonnedix’s priority has been to look after its people. “Our priority was team wellbeing,” Thiemann says. “We wanted to keep them physically safe, look after their mental wellbeing and job security. Through the focus on the team, we were able to weather the other challenges. We have seen continued construction at our plants, we have seen some logistics issues, but we could overcome them. We have seen a slowdown in growth, particularly on development activities. But we hope we’ll be able to catch up and I’m tremendously proud of our team that has been holding up very well.”
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SONNEDIX
WE ARE LOOKING AT REALLY BECOMING MORE COMPETITIVE AND MORE CUSTOMER-FOCUSED, TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVER THIS COST-EFFICIENT UNSUBSIDISED SOLAR POWER TO OUR CUSTOMERS. THAT IS A BIG FOCUS FOR US. TO CONTINUE ON OUR TRAJECTORY.”
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While Sonnedix has done all, it can protect its people, the company itself has also benefited from strong core business. “The great thing is our core business is very simple. The sun shines and plants produce electricity,” Thiemann points out. “As long as things don’t break that’s a very reliable business model and things don’t break very frequently. We spend a lot of time making sure they do not. In parallel, we are very diversified with more than 300 plants in eight countries and have a highly contracted portfolio. It is very resilient in terms of operations issues and financing, so COVID has not had a strategic effect on the business. But what impresses me the most is how the team has responded; keeping connected, supporting each other at all times, and staying focused
on maintaining sustainable productivity. Our culture has definitely grown stronger and we are, more than ever, driven by a shared purpose to build a bright future.” Looking forward, Sonnedix has great plans as the solar sector continues to grow. “The solar power sector is growing tremendously. Every year forecasts have been increased, and we are looking to continue to grow,” Thiemann tells us. “At the moment we are looking to growing our total portfolio to 7GW, and we are on track to deliver on that. In parallel, we are looking at really becoming more competitive and more customer-focused, to make sure we deliver this costefficient unsubsidised solar power to our customers. That is a big focus for us. To continue on our trajectory.”
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GUARDRISK MAURITIUS
GUARDRISK MAURITIUS EXPLAINS HOW IN THESE TURBULENT TIMES CAPTIVE INSURANCE CAN BE A VALUABLE SAFEGUARD.
A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN
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“Guardrisk is a group of companies, a global business company in the insurance sector. We’ve got insurance licenses, life licences and insurance manager licenses that serve the entire reinsurance business model,” says Vikramsingh Ramlochun, Managing Director of Guardrisk Mauritius. “We can write business internationally anywhere in the world as long as the structure can access our licences, and if the law of the country lets us write business in those territories.”
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n Mauritius, Guardrisk has four licenses. These licenses include Guardrisk International Ltd PCC (GIL), a professional reinsurer specialising in composite cell captive reinsurance, Guardrisk Life International Ltd (GLIL), an external insurer specialising in long-term cell captive insurance, Guardrisk Insurance Company Mauritius Ltd PCC (GICM), an external insurer specialising in short-term cell captive insurance, and Guardrisk Insurance Management Ltd (GIM), an insurance manager. The Guardrisk Group was established in 1998, headquartered in Mauritius but
operating as a global company writing business internationally. The Guardrisk Insurance Company Mauritius was added to their portfolio in 2016 to write short-term, non-life insurance internationally. Guardrisk’s subsidiaries are all wholly-owned by Guardrisk Insurance Company Limited South Africa, which in turn is a part Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. “Our life business we can write reinsurance structures, and we can write for other captive insurance companies, and manage those businesses,” Romlochun points out.
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INSURING YOURSELF
Captive insurance, the practice of group creating a licensed insurance company to provide coverage for itself, is an area that Romlochun is particularly passionate about, as becomes clear from talking to him. “I’m putting a lot of focus on captive insurance. That is what we do. We’re not a conventional insurer, but we’re the biggest in the captive market,” Romlochun tells us. “Our main selling point would be for clients who need to insure their own risk. We are a captive insurer and our focus and motivation are to provide clients with the possibility of benefitting from sitting with underwriting profits which have been foregone and would have otherwise added to the profit of a conventional insurance company.”
“THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SELF-INSURE THEIR OWN RISKS.”
The advantage for the client is clear, as Romlochun points out, “The client has the capacity of having those underwriting profits at their disposal and that makes this concept a big boost for the whole industry. We just need to convince clients to come and take a look at captive structures.” While the advantages of owning your own insurance company might seem selfevidence, Romlochun admits it can be a challenge to introduce the idea to new audiences. “I would say the biggest challenge is making sure people understand the concept. The challenge is getting people to understand that they have the capacity to self-insure their own risks. Persuading them to participate in the underwriting profit and enjoy the full dividend,” he says. “It’s getting the message out there, creating the awareness, because people take time to understand it. They can just come to a seller and be an insurance company participating in this structure.”
SPREADING THE WORD
Getting the word out to people is a task performed through Guardrisk’s network of agents and intermediaries. “Our business model works on intermediaries,” Romlochun says. “Our intermediaries go out and sell the concept to their client, brokers, administrators, and financial services providers, who are the best advocates for our concept to their clients. So, this networking structure helps to spread the message.” As well as this network that goes far beyond Guardrisk itself, the company is also powered by its own internal staff, which the Group takes great care to invest in and nurture. “Our labour turnover is negligible. This gives you an
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indication of how good we are at retaining our staff,” Romlochun points out. “The culture of Guardrisk is very technical and one of its own kind. We invest in our staff in the sense that we provide training and provide them with exposure to new challenges and environments. Once staff mould themselves into this culture, they become a part and parcel of the company and feel they are representing it. In Mauritius, we have been working since 1998 and still going strong. The success stories in Mauritius and South Africa show how important our staff are.”
AN UNFORESEEN RISK
Insurance is all about anticipating and preparing for challenges and crises that might be unforeseen, and this year saw the advent of the mother of all unforeseen crises, the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many companies, Guardrisk has been working from home, which has not been a huge adjustment anyway as Guardrisk already have a culture of working from home in place. Guardrisk has been doing well too, with no drop off in business and a new wave of clients who, driven by the crisis, can suddenly see the appeal in captive insurance solutions. “Now from a business perspective, we have not seen a drop in our business. We now see lots of people who like the concept,” Romlochun tells us. “The conventional market is hardening, so this creates an appetite for customers to create their own captive insurance and insure their own risk. It gives them the possibility of insuring risk that the conventional market is not ready to insure. Lots of insurance companies are not offering certain kinds of covers. Reinsurance prices are increasing, making it more
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Vikramsingh Ramlochun, Managing Director, Guardrisk Mauritius.
“WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT. THIS IS OUR CULTURE. WE SEE OUR CLIENTS AS BUSINESS PARTNERS AND WALK THE TALK WITH THEM.” appetising for people to insure their own risk.” Talking with Romlochun it is clear he can foresee that this new trend could mark the foundation for a bold new area for the captive insurance sector. “The way we see things, with the success we have had so far,
I don’t see us stopping here. I see us doubling our bottom line, which we believe will be achieved over the next two years,” he says. “We are serious about risk management. This is our culture. We see our clients as business partners and walk the talk with them.”
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ANGOSTURA
WORLD-RENOWNED FOR ITS BITTERS, THE COMPANY NOW STRIVES TO ENHANCE RECOGNITION WITH ITS PREMIUM RUM PORTFOLIO.
CARIBBEAN MASTERS OF FLAVOUR PROJECT MANAGED BY: ETHAN THOMPSON
Angostura is the world’s market leader for bitters and one of the Caribbean’s leading rum producers with a superb collection of premium rum brands, rooted and developed in the spirit of their native Trinidad and Tobago.
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ngostura’s roots go back to 1824 when Germany-born Dr Siegert perfected the formula for aromatic bitters to be used in his medical practice. In 1921, Angostura Bitters was officially founded in Trinidad and Tobago and remained a family-owned business until the late 1990s when the business was sold to a financial group. Today, Angostura is a stock-listed company, with the government of Trinidad and Tobago being the majority shareholder. “Angostura is a unique company with a long, historical legacy of nearly 200 years. It stands as bitters and a rum company - there is no other company with these characteristics,” said CEO Peter Sandstrom. “One of the unique aspects of Angostura
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is the secrecy surrounding our products that has been maintained for over 196 years, remains true to this day and is still highly guarded.” Mr Peter Sandstrom who came to the company as CEO in 2020, explained that the company is going to follow a newly defined vision - to proudly grow for the betterment of the environment and the people of Trinidad & Tobago. “That vision is essential. We are located in one of the most beautiful parts of the world so it is important that when we grow, we make sure that our impact on the island is minimal, and that we are giving back to nature as
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Celebrations are so much sweeter with
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Our wines are manufactured using Guyana’s finest grains.
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ANGOSTURA
well. We want to grow with the environment in mind and this attitude is also reflected in our innovations.” World-renowned for its bitters, Angostura has set itself a mission to become worldrenowned for its rums as well. And the company is well on track towards that goal - it is already one of the most awarded rum companies in the Caribbean, with 18 awards in its rum business this year alone, and is striving to accelerate that recognition for its rums further afield.
THE SECRET BLEND
Amongst Angostura’s products, the most recognisable historically is the company’s bitters, - the product that made the company famous. Angostura® aromatic bitters, successfully marketed globally with a geographic reach into 170 markets, has not changed since the first bottle was introduced to the world in 1824. The company uses its traditional knowledge and
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makes its bitters by infusing herbs, seeds, bark, fruit, peels, or roots in alcohol and then extracting their essence. While today they are used in small proportions to flavour various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, hundreds of years ago they were prized primarily for their health benefits. The success of Angostura’s first product led the company to go into rum distillation. While its rums have been enjoyed by generations in the local market, in 2010 the company entered into a rebranding initiative of its five major rum brands to reach out to new markets on a global scale, with impressive results. Consumers around the world may enjoy Angostura 1824, the 12-year-old flagship rum launched in 2000, named after the year that Dr Siegert allegedly created the herbal and spiced bitters, the iconic Angostura 7; the premium range of 1919; and the high-quality white rum Angostura Reserve. The company also makes soft drinks with
the original lemon-lime bitters, popular in the local market. Not only tradition but also innovation drives the company’s growth. Just recently, Angostura expanded its portfolio with the latest product - ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters, made using Trinidad and Tobago’s own Trinitario cocoa which is a unique and untapped resource. This latest innovation is part of Angostura’s bid to promote the local agricultural treasure, cocoa, around the world. “Angostura launched orange bitters 13 years ago, and we are proud to announce that as part of our efforts to support our local agricultural industry, we are adding cocoa bitters to our portfolio. Angostura’s forecasts for the demand for cocoa will result in increased output in local cocoa production. We have already been in contact with many of the local producers to ensure a steady supply of cocoa for our production process; this has put local producers in expansion mode,” said Mr Sandstrom.
“ANGOSTURA IS A UNIQUE COMPANY WITH A LONG, HISTORICAL LEGACY OF NEARLY 200 YEARS. IT STANDS AS A BITTERS AND A RUM COMPANY - THERE IS NO OTHER COMPANY WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS.” SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Angostura has a long history of supporting its communities, employees and partners, and its undisputed role in supporting the country’s development has come under the spotlight during the current pandemic. Ian Forbes, Chief Operating Officer,
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ANGOSTURA Rahim Mohammed, Executive Manager, Corporate Services.
Ian Forbes, Chief Operating Officer.
explained how the company handled the Covid19 crisis, stepping out to help not only its employees but also the Trinidad and Tobago community. “Facing the pandemic, Angostura has transformed its distilling capability to deliver all pharmaceutical demands while also producing 50,000 375ml bottles & 20,000 1.75 litre bottles of hand sanitizer to donate.” This was not the only initiative to help the community. Rahim Mohammed, Executive Manager - Corporate Services, was behind another notable project as it became obvious that people with lower incomes were getting into difficulties.
“OUR EMPLOYEES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE TRADE UNIONS, CAME UP WITH AN IDEA ON HOW THEY COULD HELP FAMILIES FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. IN AN UNPRECEDENTED DISPLAY OF GOODWILL, THESE EMPLOYEES DECIDED TO DONATE SOME OF THEIR VACATION DAYS TO CREATE A POOL OF FUNDS THAT WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE FOODSTUFFS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, WHO ARE FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS.” Food hampers for families who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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ANGOSTURA
“Our employees, with the support of the Trade Union, came up with an idea on how they could help families financially impacted by the pandemic. In an unprecedented display of goodwill, these employees decided to donate some of their vacation days to create a pool of funds that will be used to purchase foodstuffs for the most vulnerable, who are financially impacted by the novel coronavirus.” “It all started very small, with just a few vacation days, but it slowly built up. The management, executives and Board of Directors have also financially supported the drive. This employee-driven initiative saw 341 Angostura employees giving up a total of 1,074 vacation days, valued at $1,000,000.00, to be used for food hampers for families who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
“One of the most inspiring things about the whole drive was the collective nature of this effort. It was a family effort, reflecting one of the cultural values we have. While Angostura is a stock-listed company, we are a family business, we have had generations of people working for Angostura. The family orientation is a very important aspect of our culture. We are not a status-driven company, we just get the job done,” noted Mr Sandstrom. Angostura is not only a people company, it is also an environment company, he further affirmed, adding that a considerable amount of money has been invested in supporting this aspect. The company has just commissioned a new, state-ofthe-art wastewater treatment plant, making Angostura into
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ANGOSTURA
“I WANT TO SEE ANGOSTURA TRANSFORMING FROM BEING SEEN AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN BITTERS INTO BEING PERCEIVED ALSO AS ONE OF THE GREATEST QUALITY RUM COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.” one of the most environmentally friendly rum companies in the Caribbean. The multi-milliondollar project was completed within the international collaboration of major European and local companies and will ensure that the company operates within global environmental guidelines and best practices. Mr Sandstrom affirmed that Angostura’s future will all be driven by innovation, bringing new brands into the market, the innovation that will go hand
in hand with the company’s environmental programme around the distillery. “As CEO, I want to see Angostura transforming from being seen as a global leader in bitters into being perceived also as one of the greatest quality rum companies in the world. To this end, we have been investing in our distillery and ensuring that its impact on the environment is minimal and its output maximised. We are gearing up for the future and that will be a very exciting place to be.”
Angostura Distillery.
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COOPLANDS AND SONS
COOPLANDS IS A FAMILY BAKER WHOSE HISTORY GOES BACK TO 1885. THAT FAMILY BAKER GREW TO BECOME THE SECOND-LARGEST BAKERY BUSINESS IN THE UK TODAY.
BREAD FOR SUCCESS PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE “The business has been familyowned and run until October 2019 when I joined as CEO,” explains Belinda Youngs, Cooplands’ CEO. “The business is born and bred in Scarborough and has expanded through both organic growth and acquisitions throughout Yorkshire, the North East and Lincolnshire.” Cooplands make, bake, and deliver all of its products fresh every day.
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“W
e make everything but the drinks and the crisps!” Youngs says. “It’s made and baked across our three production sites in Durham, Hull and Scarborough. It’s grounded in good honest value with a strong focus on pride in how the product tastes.” The other element of distinction Cooplands and Sons offers is its level of individual service. “We don’t have any scripts in the store, we believe in knowing our communities, our locals and we believe in personalised service,” says Youngs. Cooplands has built itself a strong brand and a reputation that goes back nearly 200 years, but it’s not a company to
rest on its laurels. Talking with Youngs it’s clear she has big plans for the business. “Going forward we intend to double the size of the business in five years, from 170 shops to 330, and expand our geographic footprint,” she tells us. “The challenge is making sure we make smart decisions at the right time as we grow.”
RISING DOUGH
This isn’t something Cooplands is going to be rushing into, the planning process is detailed and in-depth. “We’re currently in the process of developing a fiveyear strategy. We have identified the key initiatives across all the areas of the business,”
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“The relationship between Cooplands Bakery and Lloyds Bank spans more than half a decade and during that time has developed into a genuinely collaborative and dynamic partnership. We’ve been by the side of the team through their accelerated growth in recent years and continue to support the ambitious plans, driven by Belinda, to expand the rich heritage of the family-run brand.
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“And that ambition has remained steadfast even in the face of the turbulence of coronavirus. Indeed, one of the few positives to come out of the shadow of the pandemic is the innovation and agility demonstrated by businesses across the country in diversifying their operations to survive – and even thrive – in the face of adversity. Cooplands Bakery is no exception. In April, with the safety net of a flexible overdraft facility behind them, it established a new delivery service for essential food items for customers within 15 miles of its three main production sites in Durham, Hull and Scarborough, all the while keeping as many of its 172 shops open as possible during lockdown. “Not only did this service provide a vital lifeline to families across the North East and Yorkshire, it also shows the creativity and resilience that has always been at the heart of the Cooplands brand. We’re proud to stand by the side of this remarkable business – and others like it right across the UK – as we look to the future, and to recovery.” Hannah Douglass, relationship director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, 07789 923309 or email hannah.h.douglass@lloydsbanking.com All lending is subject to status. Please note that any data sent via e-mail is not secure and could be read by others. Lloyds Bank plc. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under Registration Number 119278.
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IREKS IREKS was founded in Germany in the Bavarian city of Kulmbach by master baker and brewer Johann Peter Ruckdeschel back in 1856. Even though a lot has changed since then, our consistent focus on creating valuable foundations for healthy nutrition has remained. 160 years after its establishment, IREKS still is a family-run company with more than 2,900 employees and serves customers in over 90 countries worldwide. Our strong field service staff of over 500 highly qualified bakers and confectioners provides support to baking businesses with their technical expertise and in developing innovative and exciting bread and pastry products around the world. Developing together with our customers as part of a long-standing partnership is ingrained in our corporate philosophy. “Together we are strong” is not just our slogan, but our way of doing business. For over three decades, we have proudly been providing bakers in the U.K. with our wide range of malts, baking mixes and ingredients to create innovative products responding to consumer demands from gluten-free via vegan and allergen-free through to ancient grains and many more. Coopland & Son has been a valued long-time partner of IREKS in the U.K. Together, we have successfully worked on adapting existing and developing innovative baking products. We would like to thank Coopland & Son for their trust and look forward to continuing working successfully together for many more years to come. www.ireks.co.uk
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Youngs says. “We modelled organic growth and acquisitions as possible scenarios and identified a company structure with resilience beyond one sales channel.” Indeed, Cooplands has widely diversified its offering to include the largest fleet of Food to Go vans in the market, as well as cafes, shops, and they are also working on developing
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retail partnerships with other organisations. “Investing in talent internally and bringing in new skills & capabilities is important as well. We’re working on that at the moment to make the business stronger.” Youngs insists that these achievements would not be possible without Cooplands’ partners and without understanding its customers.
“THE CHALLENGE IS MAKING SURE WE MAKE SMART DECISIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME AS WE GROW.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
COOPLANDS AND SONS
“We value strong relationships with our suppliers, service providers and partners, we know we are only as strong as they are,” says Youngs.
“ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU NEED TO DO WHEN YOU COME IN TO LEAD A BUSINESS WITH AMBITION, IS TO UNDERSTAND THE HEALTH OF YOUR BRAND.”
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“We have conducted detailed consumer research of what our customers think of us and their mindset. One of the first things you need to do when you come in to lead a business with ambition is to understand the health of your brand. I am very pleased with the result.” Cooplands most valuable partner, however, remains its own people, and Youngs is passionate about having them involved in the company at every level. “We are a people-powered business and will be prioritising building excellent two-way internal communication enabled by a new communication system launching this year,” Youngs says.
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COOPLANDS AND SONS
Youngs also points out the importance of developing their employment brand to become an employer of choice.
“WE ARE A PEOPLE-POWERED BUSINESS AND WILL BE PRIORITISING BUILDING EXCELLENT TWO-WAY INTERNAL COMMUNICATION ENABLED BY A NEW COMMUNICATION SYSTEM LAUNCHING THIS YEAR.” RETURN, RECOVER AND REGENERATE
Of course, a key challenge in recent months has been how to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. From the beginning, Youngs was determined to keep the business running. “We had to shut down parts of the business, our cafes, our vans and our city-centre shops, but what I was determined to do is try to stay open and function through the pandemic because all the models show if you continue to trade, even in a shrunken size and capacity, you’re more likely to come out the other side quicker and stronger,” she says. “So we kept two-thirds of the business open. We were quite agile, we had three things that governed our decisions; the Safety of Staff, Serving the Community and Sustaining the business. I am sure we made mistakes, there is no handbook for a global pandemic, but we worked constantly to make the
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COOPLANDS AND SONS
right decisions as the situation evolved.” To keep functioning through the pandemic Cooplands put in safety measures across all its production sites, including Perspex screens, keeping staff two metres apart, providing employees with masks, one-way systems & temperature checking. “In shops, we changed operational procedures, provided them with masks, we implemented social distancing in shops and had Perspex screens in place before any of the supermarkets did,” Youngs says. “Across the business, we changed many ways of working and it still fills me with admiration today how our teams across the business adjusted and took their own initiative.” Our regulatory partners in
the fields of employment law and health and safety law played an important role in helping us to interpret the continually changing and evolving government advice and legislation”. However, Youngs quickly realised that simply keeping the business functioning wasn’t enough. “Within three days of lockdown we added to our operating model,” she says. “We started sourcing staple items like pasta, rice beans, meat, cheese, fruit, veg etc and developed our online capability for ordering food parcels for the community delivered straight to the door because a lot of vulnerable people were unable to get supermarket order slots or leave their home.
“IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGING TIME BUT HAS SHOWN THAT WE CAN BE AGILE AND RESILIENT.”
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We delivered over 1,200 food parcels. We asked our lorry drivers, who deliver to our shops, for volunteers. They delivered food parcels out into the community within 15 miles of each of our three production sites.” It’s a project Cooplands put into action with no time to waste. “That’s something we adjusted and adapted and had in place in five days,” she says. “We also donated to care homes and hospitals and gave
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a 20% discount for NHS and emergency workers, including care workers who are often not included in these discounts.” As businesses are beginning to look to the other side of the COVID-19 crisis, its clear Youngs is satisfied with what she’s learned about the business. “It’s been a challenging time but has shown that we can be agile and resilient,” she says. “We’re proud of how resilient our team were, and as a lot of businesses have started to reopen after being
closed for a long period of time it’s challenging to get up and running again but my team have adapted to the new normal quickly and more easily. We are now trading in full again with cafes and Vans and the Town and City Centres shops open. The market will continue to challenge us and be unpredictable for some months to come but one thing I am sure of is that I have the team across all parts of the business to continue to grow it and achieve its potential”
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LOTTE WEDEL
A GOLDEN TICKET TO SUCCESS WE TALK TO ONE OF THE OLDEST NAMES IN THE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY.
PROJECT MANAGED BY: MARK REYNOLDS
“When I last went to a chocolate museum, I was observing the history of chocolate companies there, of the top ten, most no longer exist,” says Sławomir Kluszczyński, COO of LOTTE Wedel. One of the brands that stood the test of time is E.Wedel of the LOTTE Wedel company.
“W
e’ve got our 170th anniversary next year. Our German founder, Karl Ernst Wedel, came to Poland and started his own business by selling and producing chocolate, setting up the factories and bringing the product to the market,” recounts Kluszczyński.
WHERE INNOVATION MEETS TRADITION
Sławomir Kluszczyński, COO of LOTTE Wedel.
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This history of bringing new confectionaries to the public continues even today. Today, Wedel’s factory is a place where the past and the future of chocolate meet. “We constantly develop, bearing in mind our achievements and those of our founders, looking at how they tackled challenges,” Kluszczyński says. “We have a synergy of innovation and tradition.” Today that synergy can be seen in a number of significant investments.
“We’re investing in one more tablet line and one more chocolate masses line. The construction works and related activities will be completed in 2021,” Kluszczyński tells us. “This is followed by a factory extension and another Ptasie Mleczko® line in 2022. Our intensive automation program will change our traditional factory into 4.0 modern plant.” But for Kluszczyński, Wedel’s biggest investments aren’t necessarily new equipment or factories. “This is purely an investment of CAPEX. But if we talk about other investments it’s down to our vision around green energy, which is part of our CSR strategy,” he says. “We have a factory in Warsaw powered by windmills energy and we’re very passionate about building on that. We’re going to responsibly manage the transfer to renewable energy to reduce our impact on the natural environment through initiatives to bring down greenhouse gas emissions.”
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EFESO CONSULTING EFESO CONSULTING, LOTTE WEDEL KEY PARTNER IN THEIR TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY, INNOVATIONS AND STRATEGY FOR 2019 AND BEYOND. EFESO as a global management consulting firm with 500 consultants, operating from 35 offices worldwide, works in tandem with clients to face also the challenges of Industry 4.0, using digital enablers to augment the progression along the value chain. PARTNERS FOR PROGRESSION EXCELLENCE In a world with great volatility and high velocity, we help accelerate the progression of our clients, enabling them to reach the pace of change required to survive and thrive. “IMPROVING RESULTS TODAY, SECURING RESULTS FOR TOMORROW”. Our motto means we help achieve long lasting business results faster, while developing the capabilities, leadership and culture to continue improving quicker than the competition. The 90% client retention rate reflects our approach’s success.
Your Progression is our Obsession
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WE WORK WITH FOUR MAIN DYNAMICS: Value Dynamics - Understand the changing patterns of value creation to focus on what will make the difference in quality, functionality, experience and time to market. Flow Dynamics - Streamline flows to deliver the target value. Asset Dynamics - Ensure optimization of the lifecycle and value/cost ratio of key assets. Human Dynamics - Enhance the commitment, competence and culture of people, by applying adoption, anchoring and leadership expertise, while considering the organisation’s different populations. LOTTE Wedel work hard to be where they are now. It was our pleasure to support them on their way of Business evolution. We are proud to be a part of this story. Congratulation LOTTE Wedel hard but also sweet journey to Operational Excellence.
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www.efeso.com
Satisfied customers is the main goal of LEKOS company. We consider our customers as partners, who have their own vision and we help to make this vision happen. Altough our production portfolio has 3 main segments – moulding lines, bar lines, enrobing lines, our machines are still tailor-made precisely for customers needs. LEKOS, S.R.O Trebišov Kollárová 455, 078 01 Sečovce Slovak republic Tel: +421 56 668 0711 Fax: +421 56 668 0713 Email: lekos@lekos.sk
www.lekos.sk
Ptasie Mleczko® is a legendary Wedel’s product, which is produced since 1936.
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LOTTE WEDEL
A PASSION FOR CHOCOLATE
Wedel’s most important investment, Kluszczyński insists, is its people. “Our team consists of ideas creators, experienced technologists - first of all with chocolate but also chocolate art. Across all departments, you can always find people passionate about chocolate, starting from R&D, manufacturing, warehousing to different functions within the company,” Kluszczyński says. “Our staff feel that passion and enjoy an atmosphere where everyone’s contribution counts.” Wedel has a staff of almost 1,300 people. Its people stay with the company for a long time as well, with the average length of employment being 11 years. This year the company celebrated an employee retiring after working with Wedel for 51 years. Kluszczyński also considers it important to bring people from different backgrounds and perspectives into the company. “Diversity is very important, different points of view help us to create solutions,” he points out. That is just one of the ingredients that have helped build Wedel’s unique culture. “Our culture is very different from other companies thanks to our cultural development program and that we are privileged in having an owner, LOTTE,” Kluszczyński says. “LOTTE’s managing us in such a way that respects what we do, treating us as a team of professionals that knows what’s best for the company and develops the tradition of the brand, giving us the space to develop the business. We’re entrepreneurs coming back to
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the tradition of Wedel’s family. We are investing our resources both in new machines, in the market but also the development of our people. Our last novelty, which is an effect of cooperation between many organizational departments, is a new Extra Milk chocolate tablets line. Earlier we created new kind of chocolate which has been very successful among the younger generation, caramel chocolate.”
“WE CONSTANTLY DEVELOP, BEARING IN MIND OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND THOSE OF OUR FOUNDERS, LOOKING AT HOW THEY TACKLED CHALLENGES. WE HAVE A SYNERGY OF INNOVATION AND TRADITION.”
Extra Milk line consists of four types of chocolate tablets, which is distinguished by a unique combination of chocolate and milk and a smooth texture.
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LOTTE WEDEL
This year Wedel’s team has had to come together to respond to the COVID crisis. “COVID is really unprecedented,” Kluszczyński says. “At the beginning it was confusing for people; coming to work, people were feeling unsure and, in our factory, I had to meet people and explain our rules of safety. Our business partners were also anxious, so after identifying this issue we decided we had to ensure our staff full safety in these new circumstances. Safety of our employees has always been our first priority. We were thinking about how to make sure all our people were secure even beyond what government and state regulations required, and we’re proud of that. We managed proper safety while implementing CAPEX projects and delivering products to our customers continuously.” Besides prioritizing health and security issues among workers and continuing business activities, at the same time Wedel has shown its support to the people in the front line of the fight with the pandemic by donating packages with chocolate sweets. “We also financially supported the Polish Red Cross and over 400 health paramedics. We donated our products and provided help also to other organisations that we support on regular basis. Such initiatives show that openness for cooperation and joint actions may be beneficial to a greater extent and Wedel is always ready to provide support,” Kluszczyński adds.
the crisis. During the lockdown, after all, chocolate was the ideal comfort you could enjoy while also social distancing. “We saw both decline and growth in different confectionary categories from consumers,” Kluszczyński points out. “What was unexpected is our chocolate bars increased in demand because in these hard people enjoyed the moments created by the product.” Looking forward, Kluszczyński believes Wedel is wellpositioned for the post-COVID market. “In general looking to postCOVID, we’re in a good position in this economy. If we look for our reaction to COVID-19, we managed well and I hope this good performance will continue,” he says. “We are approaching a most interesting
time for this sector of the market; we’re deploying for Christmas with the high season sales starting from September.” COVID has also brought about shifts in the market that open the door to new kinds of innovation. “Digitalisation is also something we are focusing on now within the business in different sectors. Not only production but other processes, sales or business analytics and planning,” Kluszczyński says. “COVID made businesses more active. It generated new threats for business efficiencies and at the same time new opportunities. Long term this will require mitigating activities. To maintain high operational effectiveness - innovation in the effective communication tools among employees will be vital,”
GROWING OPPORTUNITIES
While COVID has obviously bitten into the profits of almost every business sector, Wedel has also witnessed some surprising growth areas during
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LOTTE WEDEL
E.Wedel Premium ice cream.
Kluszczyński concludes. “We work on solutions supporting virtual communication and employees’ engagement. I will not mention remote health control or processes of hygiene control applications that are a must nowadays. IT innovations accelerate. Automation will be common even if the cost of investment will be high. Process bots will be an answer to innovation needs. One change in the post-COVID-world is e-commerce where consumers are developing at a higher pace than before. Chocolate was difficult to sell remotely but now e-commerce has accelerated
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in this area. We want to deliver our products in different ways, always thinking about consumers’ comfort so this year we expanded our presence in the e-commerce channel. We launched an online store with E. Wedel Chocolate Lounges’ offer and website, where you can buy Torcik Wedlowski for your own project.” “One thing is for sure,” Kluszczyński summarizes “Wedel’s mission is ‘we are constantly changing to bring joy to us and our clients’, that reflects our operating philosophy as we respond to a greater extent to post-COVID challenges than before.”
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MATHYS LTD BETTLACH
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MATHYS LTD BETTLACH
SWITZERLAND-BASED MATHYS LTD. BETTLACH FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ARTIFICIAL JOINT REPLACEMENT PRODUCTS.
PRESERVING MOBILITY PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAMIE WAITE
In line with its pioneering spirit, the company will continue to develop innovative solutions to address as yet unsatisfied clinical needs hence preserving bone material of the patient.
“O
Mathys, a Swiss family-owned company established in 1946 by Robert Mathys Senior, is a leading European orthopaedic company specialised in the development, manufacture and distribution of endoprosthetic solutions for orthopaedic surgeons, offering joint replacements in the hip, knee & shoulder segment, products for sports medicine as well as biomaterials for surgical treatment of bone defects.
ur industry, the orthopaedic joint replacement market, is growing worldwide, driven by demographics, growing access to medical treatment in the emerging markets and the increased mobility requirements of elderly people in the industrialised world,” says CEO Dr Benjamin Reinmann. “We strongly believe in preserving the mobility and quality of life of our patients by developing solutions for the clinical challenges of our customers and collaborate very closely with Medical and Material Science Centers globally to innovate new products based on proven treatment philosophies.”
SOLID ROOTS
Back in 1946, Mathys was founded for the development and production of machines, equipment, and components from special stainless and acidresistant steels. A turning point came in 1958 when Robert Mathys Senior met Maurice E. Müller, a well-known and highly respected orthopaedic surgeon, who was later twice nominated for the Nobel prize and in 2002 elected as the most significant orthopaedic surgeon of the 20th century worldwide.
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medical implant solutions
DOT GmbH
MEDIPACK AG: Supplier of safe medical packaging
DOT is a leading supplier of a broad range of coatings and cleanroom packaging to the medical implant and instrument industry. State-of-the-art coating techniques like PVD (TiN, TiNbN, ZrN, CrN, TiAlN and DLC), TPS (on metal, PEEK and ceramics) and a highly innovative electrochemical calcium phosphate coating (BONIT®) are among our reputable solutions. Our capabilities include additional surface treatments such as:
MEDIPACK AG, with around 203 highly motivated employees, offers complete solutions for high-quality medical products. From development, PETG film extrusion, sampling, clean-room production of blister packs and sealing technology through to a complete range of packaging services: Everything from one system supplier! Every development is based on our knowledge of exactly what customers want and then transforming these requirements into an appropriate packaging solution.
• Sprayed HA coatings
Thermoforming dies and sealing tools are manufactured on state-of-the-art CNC machines in our own tool and moulding department.
• Anodic oxidation type II (DOTIZE®) and type III (Colouring) • Functionalised surfaces In addition to surface enhancement, OEMs benefit from our complementary services such as engraving, printing and labelling, packaging in three Class 7 clean rooms and vendor sterilization. We develop packaging concepts in close collaboration with the customer and provide standardised packaging solutions for dental and orthopaedic implants. An accredited analytic laboratory for chemical-analytical, biological, physical and microbiological-hygienic tests is contained in DOTs production facility. Offering a spectrum of analytical laboratory services enables us to enhance the safety of your product. Founded in 1992 by specialists with long-term industrial and scientific expertise in coatings and materials technology, DOTs methods and technologies are the result of independent research and underline the highly innovative nature of the company. Certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13485, our quality and safety standards are geared to GMP demands. www.dot-coating.de
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Our task is to thermoform medical blister packs for sophisticated uses in clean-room classes 7 or 8. In order to meet the ever more stringent requirements in terms of the cleanliness, production conditions and traceability of raw materials, MEDIPACK has expanded its core business to include PETG film extrusion. We have developed the heat sealing machine from the MEDIPACKER TS range specifically for the medical industry and for use in the clean room. These general-purpose compact devices enable a quick change of tools. Tailored to your needs, we produce sealing lids made of Tyvek® under clean room conditions; punched, cutted, printed or unprinted sealing lids in a wide range of qualities. Entrust your high-quality-products to our contract packaging department. From the complete incoming inspection, through to label printing, rinsing with Highly Purified Water, assembly, sealing, labelling and packaging: your products are in the best hands. Our process-oriented quality assurance system, pursuant to ISO 13485:2016 guarantees the high quality of our products.
www.medipack.ch
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MATHYS LTD BETTLACH
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From development, clean room blister production and sealing technology to a comprehensive range of packaging services:
Everything from a single source!
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The system supplier for all your medical packaging
Heat sealing machines
Sealing lids
Contract packaging
PETG film extrusion
Quality assurance system pursuant Certified to ISO 13485:2016 MEDIPACK AG Mühlentalstr. 184 – 188 l CH-8200 Schaffhausen Phone +41 52 630 36 36 info@medipack.ch l www.medipack.com
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Prof. Müller had the idea of treating complicated bone fractures with a metal plate directly screwed onto the bone as opposed to plaster casts. Together they developed implants and instruments for bone surgery, i.e. trauma plates and screws and later joint reconstruction implants. In 2002 Mathys acquired Keramed, a specialist in developing and producing ceramic implants, thus becoming one of only a few orthopaedic companies to acquire access to this technology. In 2003 Mathys divested the osteosynthesis, i.e. the trauma business to SynthesStratec and retained the joint replacement business. Since then Mathys has grown the business, entering new markets and developing innovative products year by year.
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Today, the company is headquartered in Bettlach, Switzerland, has production and development sites in Switzerland and Germany, 12 subsidiaries worldwide and 30 distribution partners. In 2019, with its 520 global full-time staff, Mathys achieved sales of CHF135 M. “The joint replacement market is a technology and material-science driven market,” explains Dr Reinmann. “As we have our own innovative high performing materials and unique manufacturing knowhow, we can develop and produce orthopaedic implant systems which are outstanding in performance and very difficult to copy.” “Furthermore, we are focusing on developing implants and surgical techniques which allow the surgeon to preserve the patient’s bone and soft tissue as much as possible. We call these bone-preserving implant solutions. This will ensure the mobility of the patient even if he needs, 20 years later, revision surgery and a new implant. Let’s say we enable the surgeon to offer his patients a continuum of care, reflecting our slogan ‘preservation in motion’.”
SUSTAINING MOBILITY
“When we talk about our core business, we must talk about the disease,” says Dr Reinmann. “Osteoarthrosis, according to the WHO the most common joint disease in the world, is a degenerative disease. In the early stages, the disease can be treated with physiotherapy to maintain mobility and with drugs for pain relief. However, after several years, the only treatment is a joint replacement. The probability of acquiring osteoarthrosis above the age of 65 is 50% in females and 33%
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in males. Combined with the demographic developments in almost all countries, this presents a huge challenge for global healthcare.” Mathys offers products in the hip, knee and shoulder segments. All segments can be differentiated in implant solutions among the different stages of the continuum of care. The continuum of care starts with early intervention (prevention of cartilage damage), partial and total joint replacement over the revision stage, to salvage. Mathys’s solutions cover
the early intervention, partial and total joint replacement phases. “The success of an implant is defined by how many years it can stay within the body causing no problems and without being revised,” explains Dr Reinmann. “This is called the implant survival rate. Our knee implant, for example, has a survival rate of more than 97% after 13 years, which is outstanding.”
“AS WE HAVE OUR OWN INNOVATIVE HIGH PERFORMING MATERIALS AND UNIQUE MANUFACTURING KNOW-HOW, WE CAN DEVELOP AND PRODUCE ORTHOPAEDIC IMPLANT SYSTEMS WHICH ARE OUTSTANDING IN PERFORMANCE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO COPY.” “Osteoarthrosis in the knee is often caused by the damage and loss of the crucial ligaments. We, therefore, invented a temporary implant called Ligamys which allows the natural crucial ligament to heal and can be explanted afterwards. For the hip, we developed a very small stem (shaft), a latest-generation hip head made of unbreakable
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MATHYS LTD BETTLACH
ceramics (called: Ceramys) and a hip cup system coated by unique “RM technology” (coated with titanium powder). This combination shows the best survival rate after 4yr compared to the competition.”
Dr Benjamin Reinmann, CEO, Mathys Ltd.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Speaking about future developments, Dr Reinmann reflects on the future challenges facing healthcare systems including the new Medical Device Regulation coming into force in 2021 in Europe, which will make the registration process longer and more complex, and the pressure for better cost control. “Consequently, the market is moving away from the implant towards services driven by technology and keeping value-based patient care on the radar. This transformation will further decrease margins and will enhance the consolidation in the market along the whole supply chain.” “However, challenges always bring opportunities: We see a great opportunity for supporting the orthopaedic surgeon in his interaction with the patient before and after surgery. The increasing availability of technology to monitor the patient and learn more about his habits will help the surgeon manage expectations and address patients’ needs in a time-effective manner. All this available data will further allow more insights and will influence the design of the implants or services. In other words, the smart use of big data will have a huge impact.” Today Mathys offers planning software solutions for its implants but its strategic intent covers augmented reality support for the surgeon during surgery but also to prepare the patient before and after surgery,
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Dr Reinmann reveals. “That requires optimizing the patient journey. We are currently assessing the possibilities with different partners to offer one full solution. On the other hand, we will invest in one of our core technologies to leverage it and make it available to new partners.” He points out that despite the rising voice within the healthcare systems to reduce costs, patients with osteoarthrosis suffering from pain will ultimately need an arthroplasty. “In this context, offering reliable implants in combination with smart technologies, but not adding additional costs to the surgical procedure, will be the key for our growth in our existing markets and perhaps also in new markets,” Dr Reinmann concludes.
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BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB
WE LEARN HOW A LEADING PROVIDER OF EPS MATERIALS IS LEADING THE CHARGE TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
CLOSING THE CIRCLE PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE 154 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
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BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB
BEWiSynbra Group is a leading provider of EPS materials and the components in insulation and construction material in Europe. Working as an integrated company, BEWiSynbra produces its own raw materials and supplies them to its own downstream processes alongside other external customers, giving the company good knowledge of market dynamics in Europe.
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“W
e are an integrated supplier, with our own raw material and our own production units,” says Jonas Siljeskär, CEO of BEWiSynbra. “By managing the entire value chain we can close the loop while leading the industry’s development toward a more circular approach.
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Tricon is an industry leader in the global trade and distribution market. We add value to our suppliers and customers through providing industry leading logistics, risk management, financing, and market intelligence services. We originate and market products globally, meeting specific location, quality, timing and volume requirements. We also provide a versatile range of price risk management and contracting tools to our clients. Every day, we strive to enhance international commerce through the physical movement and marketing of industrial Chemicals, Fuels, Polymers, Raw Materials, and Fertilizers. We are committed to providing our clients and suppliers with streamlined services so they can focus on their core business. With our worldwide team of professionals, we have grown from a business that began with distribution of specialized petrochemicals, to a global leader in the trading of various commodities.
www.triconenergy.com
Address: 777 Post Oak Blvd. Suite 550, Houston, TX 77056 USA Email: info@triconenergy.com Phone: +1 (713) 963-0066
SEKISUI KASEI BEWISYNBRA AND SEKISUI KASEI ‘We are a global player in fine polymers and foam particles. In our industry – and to be more precise, in our partnerships – trust alone is not enough. We need to have partners that are open, willing and capable to break the mould. To step away from what’s ‘normally’ used in their industry, in order to discover innovative alternatives. BEWiSynbra shares this mindset.’ Eric van de Aast, Business Manager of Sekisui Kasei Europe BV continues: ‘In our line of business it’s the change from using common EPP and EPS foam particles to using our Piocelan. We don’t claim Piocelan to be the replacement product for all the products moulders develop. But there are quite some high level cases in which Piocelan can bring about a revolution in what’s possible. This impacts not only product development and business opportunities, but can also help tackle the environmental challenges we have at hand as a society. In this we are completely aligned with BEWiSynbra and their strategic agenda. And very important: they are in the position to bring change into practice.’ WHAT IS YOUR CHALLENGE? ‘We feel every partner should start by asking a product developer: What is your challenge? For example, the challenge isn’t to produce a commodity component. The challenge is what
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requirements that component should have. This means you shouldn’t just go for industry’s standard EPP or EPS. You should first keep in mind the type of product for your ideal match. This could very well be Piocelan, with its unique specs. BEWiSynbra was open to take this approach in their R&D. Once they discovered what was possible with our hybrid alternative, a new realm of possibilities inspired their product development.’ A WINNING TEAM ‘We at Sekisui Kasei aren’t focused on delivering a product that’s suitable just for today.’ as Thijs Wansink, Managing Director of Sekisui Kasei Europe BV states. ‘We feel it’s our responsibility to have a wider scope in mind. This involves future generations who will continue to use what we produce today. But also the simple fact that we can truly make an impact when it comes to magnitude: on a global scale we are part of automobile components, packaging materials, construction, housing, cosmetics, LCD-screens, medicals and more. For us this logically leads to the question: How can we take advantage of how our products contribute to end-products and thus society? Our position and knowledge make us a game changer. But we need team players to win the game. And given our track record together so far, BEWiSynbra and Sekisui Kasei have been on a winning streak. www.sekisuikasei.com
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ICL ICL, a global manufacturer of products based on unique minerals, fulfills humanity’s essential needs in three markets: agriculture, food and engineered materials. The company extracts raw materials from well-positioned mineral assets and utilizes technology and industrial know-how to add value for customers in key agricultural and industrial markets worldwide. ICL is the world’s largest producer of elemental bromine, supplying over 33% of global demand. The company is leader in the production and marketing of bromine and phosphorus flame retardants for a wide range of applications in different industries. At ICL, sustainability drives our development, from the first stage of product design to end-of-life. We continually monitor market trends to introduce cost effective innovations that enhance the value downstream, while diminishing our ecological footprint. Seek to formulate for sustainable construction materials? We have just the right solution! Our new polymeric FR-122P for EPS and XPS insulation systems enhances fire safety and has superior environmental profile, allowing modern buildings to combine the best of fire safety with energy efficiency and recyclability at end-of-life.
GLOBAL LEADER IN MANUFACTURING, DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPLY OF FLAME RETARDANTS
ICL is an active participant in global circular economy efforts. We are tackling circularity both from the industrial processes and from the product end-of-life perspective, working closely with our value chain to pioneer breakthrough recycling technologies. Thus, we are one of the founders of the PolyStyrene Loop recycling scheme.
#1 in Bromine capacity #1 in bromine and phosphorus based flame retardants
ICL is a public company whose shares are dual-listed on New York and Tel Aviv Stock Exchanges (NYSE and TASE: ICL). www.icl-ip.com
High quality, Safe and Sustainable products Pioneer in FR recycling technologies Global manufacturing and supply capacity
Looking for maximum flexibility in your particle foam processing? With the EMMotion Flex you secure more flexibility and efficiency through uncomplicated use of monoblock moulds and third-party products - at simultaneous use of the toggle-drive! BEST DRIVE SYSTEM WITHOUT HYDRAULIC
Email: frinfo@icl-group.com www.icl-ip.com
• Maintenance friendly
• No loss of stroke
• No viscosity variations
• EM quick mould change system
• Clean production area
• Even movement on moveable side
• Low noise emission
• No lowering of the moveable chamber
• Powerful and even drive
• High positioning and repeat accuracy
• Speed: 500mm / sec.
Visit our website
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Watch our video
Erlenbach GmbH Am Rödchen 1, D-56355 Lautert T: +49 6772 8010 E: info@erlenbach.de www.erlenbach.com
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BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB
This means taking responsibility for the entire life cycle of EPS from procurement of input goods to product development and production, to collection and recycling of EPS that will form the raw materials for new products.”
Jonas Siljeskär, CEO of BEWiSynbra.
A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
Of course, lots of companies talk big about the sustainability of their work, but for BEWiSynbra this is more than a marketing exercise. “Founded in the Norwegian archipelago, BEWiSynbra has been committed to sustainability and focused on reusing EPS long before sustainability became a buzzword,” Siljeskär insists. “EPS is amazing as it is completely recyclable, and we strive to become the EPS manufacturer with the strongest sustainability profile. In 2018, we established BEWiSynbra Circular, a unit for minimizing the company’s impact on the environment using concepts and operations for recycling EPS.”
The important thing, Siljeskär tells us, is for companies to be accountable for their role in protecting the environment. “Being in the plastic industry, we need to take full responsibility, so we’re looking to our suppliers to also follow our guidelines when it comes to the circular economy by recycling their materials.” He says. “We create value to our customers by providing them with whole solutions, and the circular offering is a crucial part of that solution. We have a very rewarding working relationship with many of our customers. A good example of how cooperation can bring
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a great result to the customer is how our main supplier of EPP now have provided the recycled raw material for EPP. We are constantly looking at new ways of working and solutions in order to develop with our customers and market needs”.
“WE NEED TO PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN TAKING THE PLASTIC SUSTAINABILITY WORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL.” 160 | BUSINESS FOCUS MAGAZINE
While the company is keen to embrace their role in creating a more sustainable future, it’s not a goal they can achieve alone, and Siljeskär points out that Europe has a long way to go in establishing the kind of plastic recycling infrastructure necessary. “The challenge is huge, that’s why I like our company. We never give up. Whenever we take two steps back it’s so we can pick up speed and move forward,” he says. “Europe is not so mature when it comes to plastic recycling. Glass and aluminium, that has already had
established systems for many years. But there’s also evidence since we’ve debated plastic within the European Union that they will be adding taxes to the plastic industry, with all the plastics in the ocean and the microplastics.” BEWiSynbra is establishing itself as a front runner in this arena alongside its suppliers. “We need to play a very important part in taking the plastic sustainability work to the next level. In the EU today there are no systems at all to collect and decide what to do with plastic materials,” Siljeskär
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says. “For aluminium and glass bottles, they have this system in place already, it is possible. The main challenge is to establish that system in Europe for plastic.”
“IT’S VERY IMPORTANT WE LOOK AT THE WASTE MARKET TODAY AS A COMPETITION BECAUSE EVERYONE IS STARTING NOW TO BE REALLY INTERESTED IN THE WASTE STREAMS. THE WASTE WILL BE A TICKET TO US TO AVOID THE PLANNED TAXES ON MICROPLASTIC, SO WE NEED TO KEEP UP.”
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While Siljeskär is keen for the governments in the EU to take a lead on this matter, BEWiSynbra isn’t going to wait around for that to happen. “Our role is very clear at least to us,” he says. “We are doing real things, putting up greenfield factories that will have to do business as a collector and processor to get the polystyrene back to our raw materials factories. We’re buying other companies that are doing waste collecting, we’re investing in extrusion technology and chemical recycling. We’ve invested 10 million euros over three years in our circular system, and have 20,000 tons of collected polystyrene from the market going back to our production.” At the same time as paying attention to the environmental
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GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK ARPRO expanded polypropylene (EPP) is going full circle. We are applying circular economy to provide continual use of resources. JSP uses newly produced material made from recycled EPP to produce its ARPRO 5134 RE with a recyclate content of 25%. This not only saves resources but also reduces CO2 emissions by up to 12% compared with virgin material. ARPRO Expanded Polypropylene is a 3D engineering material that delivers energy absorption with structural strength at very low weight. It also offers chemical resistance as well as thermal and acoustic insulation. ARPRO is 100% recyclable.
ARPRO.COM
JSP - USING ARPRO, EXPANDED POLYPROPYLENE (EPP) CAN HELP REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS
BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB
JSP and BEWi have worked together since 2014 to develop answers to a circular economy. Both companies strive to provide sustainable and pragmatic concepts to anticipate regulatory and industrial requirements now and in the future. In the last two years, JSP and BEWi have focused on developing automotive series parts, including safety applications, using ARPRO RE, which is made from 25% recycled end-of-life moulded parts, producing 12% less CO2 emissions during production compared with virgin materials. In addition, BEWi has used ARPRO 35 Ocean to mould a range of consumer products. Made from 15% recycled maritime industry waste, this grade of ARPRO has comparable physical properties and performance to virgin APRRO and reduces CO2 emissions by 7% during production. In January 2018, the EU proposed the European Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy to change the way plastic products are designed, used, produced and recycled. In 2020 during the recovery plan for Europe this proposal was accepted. The regulations from the proposal are to be introduce from the 1st January 2021; companies must abide by these changes or face an €0.80 fine per kg for any packaging that does not have recycled content in. Another EU regulation where ARPRO can help reduce CO2 emissions focuses on the decarbonisation of vehicles. By 2021 car manufacturers in particular have a requirement to emit less than 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre on average. Exceeding this will incur a €95 fine for every excess gram of CO2 per km, multiplied by the number of cars the manufacturer sells in 2020. Green company indices show the Nordic region are a few years ahead of central Europe in the circular economy and its approach to sustainability. In 2018, Volvo Cars announced that by 2025 25% of plastic in their vehicles would be made from recycled content. Nordic leaders have pledged to the UN to become the most decarbonised region in the world by 2030. The UN introduced 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 including climate action on decarbonisation. European countries were early adopter to convert these goals into directives. From these the EU announced the 2019 to 2024 European Green Deal and the 2030 Climate target plan. The goals, package and framework are changing how many industries are working by boosting the efficient use of resources when moving to a clean, circular economy. To address these challenges, JSP can help companies achieve sustainability targets. By replacing virgin EPP material solutions, or injection moulded plastics designs, with ARPRO recycled grades companies can make a positive step towards reducing CO2 emissions, achieving sustainability targets via lightweight solutions while guaranteeing the material’s performance. ARPRO is at the forefront of innovation and change. It is a pioneering lightweight, impact energy absorption material with an increasing percentage of recycled content. The material is chemical resistant and offers thermal and acoustic insulation with a very high strength-to-weight ratio. ARPRO is the only global offering of EPP with recycled content; it is 100% recyclable from end-of-life moulded products. Manufacturer of ARPRO, JSP, has a long history of producing sustainable solutions, offering the first 15% recycled-content, ARPRO 5135 RE in 2010 to support the decarbonisation strategies of all industrial sectors from automotive, HVAC, packaging and supply chain concepts. About JSP JSP is a specialist in thermoplastic foams delivering ARPRO for automotive applications, HVAC, transportation, sporting goods and more. JSP is the only company with a global presence in research, development and production in the field of expanded polypropylene particle foams. The company is active with innovations to make products safer, lighter, competitive and more sustainable.
www.ARPRO.com
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stakes, Siljeskär also recognises that the market they’re operating in is becoming more competitive. “It’s very important we look at the waste market today as a competition because everyone is starting now to be interested in the waste streams. The waste will be a ticket to us to avoid the planned taxes on microplastic, so we need to keep up,” Siljeskär says. “Our target is 60,000 tons of collected polystyrene from the market, which is the amount of EPS we sell that is estimated to have a life-cycle of under one year.”
KEEPING TO THE MISSION
While the issues around plastic pollution are essential and pressing, other issues have risen to the top of every business agenda this year. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact across the board, but it hasn’t dissuaded BEWiSynbra from its priorities.
“OUR TARGET IS 60,000 TONS OF COLLECTED POLYSTYRENE FROM THE MARKET. THIS IS BECAUSE 60,000 TONS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE VOLUME OF RAW MATERIAL FOR APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE A LIFETIME OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR.” “We had the same question last week from our board, and we among many other companies in this part of Europe were of course very much impacted by the corona outbreak,” Siljeskär tells us. “It started at the beginning of March, and in April we could
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BEWISYNBRA GROUP AB
“WE NEED TO STAY TOGETHER AND CLOSER TO OUR CUSTOMER. WE DO BELIEVE THAT OUR WAY OF DOING BUSINESS WITH OUR SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS WILL BE GOING HAND IN HAND WITH THEM. FOR INSTANCE, WE CAN SEE THAT AN AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS WANTS US TO WORK WITH THEM. THEY WANT US INVOLVED AT AN EARLY STAGE AS WE’VE STARTED TO DEVELOP AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS TO SUPPLY THEM WITH. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR SUPPLIER DEVELOPING RAW MATERIALS CONTAINING RECYCLED MATERIAL TO MAKE THEIR NEXT CAR MORE SUSTAINABLE.” BUSINESSFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM
see the technical packaging and components weren’t selling. The pandemic hit certain regions and countries harder than others, so while deliveries to the automotive industry were severely impacted our business in other segments were more or less unaffected. We are selling raw material, going to different products which have been doing very well even with the corona outbreak. We saw no decrease in insulation and construction markets and many countries are investing more heavily in the infrastructure at trains, airports, and highways. We noted some decreases in volumes during the first months of the pandemic, but from early summer we can see that the volumes have stabilized. The pandemic was an efficient stress test for us, and we are glad to see that our business model proved to be very resilient. “ Looking beyond COVID, BEWiSynbra is keen to stay with its mission, working closely with suppliers and customers for a better tomorrow. “We need to stay together and closer to our customer. We do believe that our way of doing business with our suppliers and customers will be going hand in hand with them,” Siljeskär says. “For instance, we can see that the Automotive business want us to work them . They want us involved at an early stage as we’ve started to develop automotive products to supply them with. This is an example of our supplier developing raw materials containing recycled material to make the next car more sustainable.”
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VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC
WE TALK TO NIGERIA’S LEADING MANUFACTURER OF FLEXIBLE, RECONSTITUTED AND RIGID FOAM PRODUCTS.
RESTING EASY PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOHN HOLLIMAN
Vitafoam Nigeria is an astounding achievement of a business, boasting the largest foam manufacturing and distribution network in the West African sub-region, allowing for just-in-time delivery of finished flexible, reconstituted and rigid foam products over a vast area.
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VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC
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ince the company was incorporated on the 4th of August, 1962, and went on to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1978, Vitafoam has grown to become a household name throughout Nigeria. As well as building a successful business, Vitafoam has also built itself a reputation as a responsible corporate citizen, adopting best practices across their operations. The company has implemented a code of good corporate
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governance and remains committed to continuously improving its operations. This policy is guided by Vitafoam’s dynamic and competent Board, made of up executive and nonexecutive directors, each expert in their own field and supported by a robust management team. “Our core corporate policy is we pride ourselves in respect for others,” explains Taiwo Adeniyi, Managing Director and CEO of Vitafoam Nigeria. “We have
respect for everyone who works with us, for our customers, for all of our stakeholders. We take action to ensure we’re able to replicate our processes to have good quality products and good quality service. We do not compromise on the quality of our products.”
CERTIFIED QUALITY
That quality is verified and uncontested, with Vitafoam sporting certification unrivalled
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by its competitors. Vitafoam’s commitment to quality throughout its production process has earned the company a number of quality awards, including the Gold Certificate Award for most of its products. The foam product manufacturer was also the first foam manufacturing company in Nigeria to subject its quality system to the Quality Management System championed by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). Vitafoam has attained the NIS ISO 9002 Certificate in 2001 and upgraded to NIS ISO 9001: 2000 in 2004. Adeniyi considers Vitafoam’s quality its unique selling point. “We pride ourselves on it,” he tells us. “Quality is a feature of the DNA behind everything
we produce. Our motto is ‘The fine art of living’. We have the right tools, materials and skills. We pay attention to the look and feel of our products. from the core to the aesthetic of the product we pay particular attention.”
“WE CUSTOMISE, OFFERING YOU A CHOICE OF IRREGULAR SIZES AND DIMENSIONS. WE ARE PREPARED TO PRODUCE THE MATTRESS TO FIT YOUR NEEDS, FULLY CUSTOMISED.”
POLYOL
ISOCYANATE (TDI/MDI)
METHYLENE CHLORIDE
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KRAFT PAPER
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OUR COMPANY
Headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Confortchem is a dynamic and versatile company operating throughout Africa and the Middle East with strategically placed offices and distribution centers. We specialize in the supply of machinery and the full range of quality raw materials to the polyurethane foam Industry, including polyols, TDI, additives (silicones & catalysts), methylene chloride, paper, color pigments and more. Our commercial know how has allowed us to strengthen our relations with our customers and ensure their continuous satisfaction. Our expertise in this field, strengthened by our strong relations with Internationally renowned organizations, allows Confortchem to be a credible and reliable partner to successfully serve its customers. Confortchem is certified 1S0 9001:2015 76 boulevard Hymus, Pointe-Claire Quebec, Canada H9R 1E3 Phone: +1-514-332-1140 Email: info@confortchem.com www.confortchem.com
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Uniform quality does not mean uniform products, however, and Adeniyi is proud of the range Vitafoam can offer. “We customise, offering you a choice of irregular sizes and dimensions. We are prepared to produce the mattress to fit your needs, fully customised,” he says. “We start outputting the chemicals together to produce a foam block and so we can produce it to the dimensions you require. There is a quality which comes from innovation. Our development team are strong providers of innovations in the marketplace.” This innovation is a central part of Vitafoam’s strategy. Currently, the company is consolidating itself by introducing valueadded, innovative products and services, both through its main line and subsidiaries. The foam manufacturer has grown into a full solution provider for bedding and allied products, with “Comfort Centres” that provide a one-stop-shop for consumers. Offering a wide range of mattresses of varied resilience and hardness alongside a plethora of related products, some of which have launched their own spin-off companies. As well as designing and constructing custom-made mattresses and pillows with their contour cutting equipment, Vitafoam also provides products that are versatile in use such as mats through their Vitarest and Leisuremats brands or foam sitting chairs through the Vitasolid brand. Vitafoam has even released a range of foam-based baby products such as changing mats, baby cot mattresses and pillows. “We’re supporting our subsidiaries to grow and become the size of Vitafoam itself,” Adeniyi says. “We’re making them viable as we go on as a business.”
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VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC
HANDLING CHALLENGES AS THEY COME
Vitafoam has faced challenges to overcome, however, particularly in these uncertain times. “One of the challenges is uncertainty around the supply chain. 80% of our raw materials come from outside of this environment,” Adeniyi admits. “We simply do not have a viable petrochemical industry in Nigeria, so you find a lot of the time we have to travel to the Far East or Europe to get the materials for production.” Rising to meet these challenges, he explains, is a question of outlook, and it’s clear he is proud of how Vitafoam has responded. “You find for every challenge there is a solution. We pride ourselves that we are able to meet these challenges,” Adeniyi points out. “We have a mindset of solving challenges, and many times they turn out to be an opportunity because we have the right mindset. What distinguishes us is how we can handle those challenges when they come.”
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“QUALITY IS A FEATURE OF THE DNA BEHIND EVERYTHING WE PRODUCE.” Part of the reason Vitafoam has been successfully able to do this is their spirit of innovation, fuelled by a continuing stream of new, young talent into the company. “We want to make sure we bring in young people through a training scheme and three years enthuse them about the organisation, help them understand the company and then they are willing to give their all,” Adeniyi says. “That point of entry is very important to us. From there, I find that the more training you give the better you are for it. It prepares people for whatever comes. You want people to grow and affect the environment, which involves a lot of training. We look for the best training, we send people to get that training and then they come back and put that training to work.” Adeniyi describes a strong relationship with Vitafoam’s recruits from the ground up. “As you try to steer the path of your career, once you’ve identified your challenge, we
will have the training for you,” he explains. The company has been put to the test, like all of us, by the COVID-19 crisis, but as Adeniyi points out the lockdowns have postponed, but not diminished demand. “We discovered the same market who wanted mattresses but weren’t able to buy them because of the lockdown still needed it post-lockdown so we’ve faced a lot of demand,” he says. Vitafoam has still suffered a hit as a result of the crisis, like most companies, but once again the collaborate spirit of the company has helped them to pull through. “We recognised we needed to work together,” Adeniyi says. “When we renewed our package, we said to ourselves, what will enable us to keep everyone in the plan? We’ve not lost a single member of staff during the pandemic. We’ve taken a pay cut to keep everyone on board.”
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AFRICAN GOLD GROUP
AFRICAN GOLD GROUP IS A CANADIAN EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY AIMING TO DEVELOP A GOLD PLATFORM IN WESTERN AFRICA.
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE
The company’s focus is on the construction-ready Kobada Gold Project in Mali and on advancing its second project currently under option towards a maiden resource, the Madougou Gold Project in Burkina Faso.
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frican Gold Group (AGG), in existence for a number of years under various management, reached a turning point in 2019 when a new management team was appointed, headed by the new president and company CEO Danny Callow, a mining engineer by background with ample experience in building and operating mines in Africa. Soon after, Callow appointed a new independent Board. “When I came to the company last year, I realised a significant amount of work needed to happen to take Kobada from an exploration asset into a construction-ready asset. We recommenced exploration, did a lot of data analysis and embarked on a process to deliver an independent Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) with the aim of upgrading the asset’s geological model and understanding of the ore body. This we completed in July 2020 on time and 20% below budget.”
STRATEGIC ASSET
Danny Callow, President & CEO of AGG.
African Gold Group’s (AGG) Kobada Gold Project in Southern Mali is a low capital and low operating cost gold project with the potential to produce more than 100,000 ounces of gold per annum over 10 years of mine life.
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The asset is located approximately 125 km southwest of Bamako, the capital city of Mali, in the Birimian Greenstone belt, with excellent transport links to the capital Bamako, and excellent logistics routes via other West African ports. Favourable aspects include the fact that the Malian government is an investor-friendly, stable mining jurisdiction and all of the major gold companies are operating in Mali. “Based on limited exploration drilling on only 4 km of the 30 km of identified structural shear zones on the property, we have delineated a 2.3-million-ounce resource and believe there is significant potential to improve the resources and reserves further with limited additional exploration. We have an advanced process plant design, we are fully permitted until 2045 and environmental permits renewable every five years, and we are ready for construction,” affirmed Mr Callow.
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“The DFS confirmed the assumed benefits - very low operating cost, definitely in the lower quartile for west Africa at $704/oz, with a very competitive All-In Sustaining Cost (“AISC”) of US$782/oz. This relates to a post-tax NPV of more than US$226 million (now more likely 400 at current gold prices) and an IRR of around 41%. Part of our challenge is to get the message out there that we have a construction-ready asset which presents a great investment opportunity.”
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
Going forward, AGG has spent a lot of effort on environmental considerations, which are absolutely key for any mining operation, said Mr Callow. “Almost all mines in Mali are powered by diesel generators. This is expensive and costly for the environment. We decided to take a different approach.” In June 2020, AGG entered into a partnership with DRA Nexus to implement a hybrid
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power plant combining photovoltaic solar panels (“Solar PV”), thermal generators and a battery storage system for the Kobada Gold Project.
“MY AIM IS TO GROW THE PROSPERITY IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, PARTNER ON PROJECTS THAT ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY, SAFE AND ACTIVE WORKFORCE AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT BENEFITS FROM OUR PRESENCE IN THE REGION.”
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“The advantages are numerous, but at the highest level, we are employing experts in power generation to provide their technology in an overthe-fence power solution. The project will bring significant annual power savings over a conventional thermal power system of more than 22%, or $5 million on the cost of power, and will result in significantly reduced emissions, meaning a sizeable reduction in our environmental footprint.” This landmark installation will enable AGG to increase the
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environmental sustainability of the Kobada Gold Project, in turn differentiating AGG from its peers and potentially attracting partnership opportunities from green energy funds, socially responsible investment managers, family offices and endowment funds. Similarly, the company takes its corporate social responsibility very seriously. “We want to be operating Kobada mine for 15+ years and therefore it is imperative that we are GOOD neighbours,” affirmed Mr Callow. “Good neighbours means employing skills locally, developing the local economy so prosperity and wealth flow back into the region and quality of life is improved for all, in other words, developing a local ecosystem. Communication is key - we have already started the process on-site with meetings held with the local community chiefs and agreed how we could contribute to local development and we are already succeeding.” “My aim is to grow the prosperity in our local communities, partner on projects that are mutually beneficial and ensure that we have a healthy, safe and active workforce and the local community that benefits from our presence in the region.”
asset, multiple-country operator over the next 5 years. The plan is to advance its second project currently under option towards a maiden resource, the Madougou Gold Project in Burkina Faso, currently in mid-stage exploration, which is viewed as a highly strategic asset with tremendous potential. “The historical drilling results have been very good and we believe that there is a great opportunity for this asset to be our second producing mine. As soon as we start construction on Kobada, we will start to drill the Madougou asset. The ultimate aim is that this would be our second asset for production.” Summarising the company’s prime objective, Mr Callow affirmed that the primary focus is to bring the Kobada asset into production within 24 months. “We see great opportunities for African Gold Group to grow the company very quickly over the next 12-18 months, and are looking at adding at least 2-3 more assets to our portfolio. With the very ambitious and competent management team, I’m sure we can achieve that.”
PROMISING POTENTIAL
AGG has a clear strategy for the years ahead. The overall investment for the mine will be $140 million plus additional expenditure on the exploration of around $10 million over the next 3-4 years. At the same time, the company is continually looking at other concessions and investments and sees itself as growing into a multiple-
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ARGONAUT GOLD INC.
WITH THREE CONSTRUCTION-READY ASSETS, THE COMPANY IS UNDERGOING A TRANSFORMATION FROM A RELATIVELY SHORT MINE LIFE, HIGH-COST PRODUCER TO LONG MINE LIFE, LOWER COST PROFILE.
TRANSFORMING FOR A
GOLDEN FUTURE
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ARGONAUT GOLD INC.
Argonaut Gold is a Canadian gold company engaged in the exploration, mine development and production. Its primary assets are the El Castillo and San Agustin mines (which together form the El Castillo Complex in Durango, Mexico), the La Colorada mine in Sonora, Mexico and the production-stage Florida Canyon mine in Nevada, United States.
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dvanced exploration projects include the Magino project in Ontario, Canada, the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, Mexico, and the Ana Paula project in Guerrero, Mexico. The company continues to hold the San Antonio advanced exploration project in Baja California Sur, Mexico and several other exploration-stage projects, all of which are located in North America.
“Argonaut Gold currently produces approximately 210230k oz of gold per year; and has a development pipeline that can transform the company from a relatively short mine life high-cost producer to a long mine life lower cost profile in the near future; this is one of the factors differentiating it from many other companies in the sector,” says Pete Dougherty, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
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Pete Dougherty President & CEO, Argonaut Gold Inc.
“We are both an exploration and exploitation company - we look for gold and we produce gold. Our business is to produce gold at a competitive margin, while investing in our communities, taking care of the environment, and exploring for the future.”
THE NEXT STAGE
He noted that the company has been going through rapid development, aiming high: “Things have been progressing very quickly in recent months. We added $23M in cash to the balance sheet from operations last quarter, and in the past month have completed an equity raise for $90M. Argonaut Gold has
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“OUR BUSINESS IS TO PRODUCE GOLD AT A COMPETITIVE MARGIN WHILE INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, TAKING CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND EXPLORING FOR THE FUTURE.” also completed the acquisition of Alio Gold bringing us another operation that will become our longest-life mine with the lowest cost operation and an exciting development asset in Mexico.” Recent highlights also include receiving the last major permit for a large project in Canada that will become a cornerstone asset for the company in the future, with released recent exploration drill results highlighting potential higher
grade deep mineralization. “We have been known for our operating excellence in running open pit heap leach mines. We simply make money where others can’t and we do it through operational excellence. That separates us from many others,” says Mr Dougherty. The company has three projects that at a high level are valued at nearly $1.5billion in a $1900 gold environment. These projects are advanced-stage
Haul truck fleet, Florida Canyon Mine, Nevada, USA
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projects, i.e. they have already received permits or will receive decisions on permits needed by the end of the year. “We should be making decisions on these projects very soon, with one decision by the end of the this year and the second next year. It is an exciting time for Argonaut, we have been nurturing these projects for a long time and are now ready to take the next step. It has been a slow and steady process to get to where we are but we are built for times like this,” Mr Dougherty affirms. “We are getting the debt financing together and getting ready to move into construction.”
CHANGING COMMUNITIES
Environmental compliance is a top priority at Argonaut Gold. The company remains firm in the promotion of policies and projects that favour the environment and the protection of natural resources, with a particular focus on the quality and availability of water and green energies. “We have just received the ESR recognition from the Mexican government for the 8th consecutive year. This is given for environmentally socially responsible companies. ESR really is at the heart of everything we do. You have to do things in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, otherwise, you would not be able to move on to the next project. We truly believe in that. If you don’t do things right, you are not going to be invited back into the country again.” He affirms that that only through being respectful to every unique environment and exercising understanding and clear, constant communication, will the company establish strong relationships with its surrounding communities.
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“THE AMAZING THING IS THAT WE DON’T NEED TO GO OUT AND BUY OUR FUTURE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE ASSETS IN HAND.”
Workers at El Castillo Mine, Durango, Mexico
“It is important for us to support the development of individual businesses locally, so we work together to bring trades, and medical and essential services into these remote communities and form a bond between our stakeholders with the goal of creating longlasting values. In a watereddown version, we change lives through the exploration and exploitation of gold, we change communities.”
READY TO GO
Change is also a core internal concept for Argonaut Gold, as the company looks to transform into a 300-500k oz per year producer, basically doubling its value, with its four operating assets, and three moving rapidly forward, going into construction shortly. “Exciting things are happening at the moment from construction decisions and major permits, through to new exploration developments at a few of our projects. This will continue for some time to come,” reflects Mr Dougherty, hinting that this time next year Argonaut Gold may be a totally different company. “The amazing thing is that we don’t need to go out and buy our future, we already have the assets in hand. And with a clean balance sheet, $155M in cash, and $7M drawn on at a $50M revolving credit facility we are poised to take these next steps.”
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BUSHVELD MINERALS
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BUSHVELD MINERALS
BUSHVELD MINERALS SHOW US HOW VANADIUM IS GOING TO PLAY AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR FUTURE.
THE FUTURE OF
VANADIUM PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE
Vanadium is a silvery grey, malleable metal that you may not have heard of, but which already plays a vital role in all parts of your life. It is vital to the production of everything from steels and other alloys to batteries. It’s also the core of Bushveld Minerals’ business. Bushveld Minerals is a low-cost, vertically integrated primary vanadium producer, one of only three operating primary vanadium producers. Bushveld produces approximately 3,000 metric tonnes of Vanadium per annum, approximately 3% of the entire global vanadium market.
Fortune Mojapelo, CEO of Bushveld Minerals.
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“O
ur target is to organically grow production to more than 8,400 mtV p.a. in the medium term,” explains Bushveld Minerals’ CEO, Fortune Mojapelo. Bushveld Minerals owns a diversified vanadium product portfolio serving the needs of the steel, energy and chemical sectors. The company participates in the entire vanadium value chain through its two main pillars: Bushveld Vanadium, which mines and processes vanadium, and Bushveld Energy, an energy storage component manufacturer and project developer which is focused on vanadium-based energy storage systems called Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries or VRFBs. Bushveld Minerals boasts large, high-grade opencast deposits, with a base of approximately 550 Mt, grading of 1.6 to 2.0% V 20 5 in-magnetite, among the highest in the world. The business’s resources offer significant growth potential, and collectively, the Vametco and Vanchem plants provide Bushveld with the potential for a flexible and scalable low-cost production
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AFRICA’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF NATURAL SODIUM AND RELATED PRODUCTS We meet an array of social needs through our supply of natural soda ash and salt, that drive a number of key value chains:
Food safety through the container glass sector Human shelter and water reticulation through building glass and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes Automobile safety through the auto glass sector Safe drinking water through chlorine and related products Fortification through salt carrying iodine for humans
Botswana Ash (Pty) Ltd A32 Westend, Sua Pan. Private Bag SOW7, Sowa Town, Botswana
Tel: +267 621 3210 Fax: +267 621 3213 Email: marketing@botash.bw
www.botash.bw
BOTSWANA ASH (PTY) LTD AFRICA’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF NATURAL SODIUM AND RELATED PRODUCTS Botswana Ash (Pty) Ltd (Botash) is owned by the Government of the Republic of Botswana and Chlor Alkali Holdings (Pty) Ltd, part of Bud group of companies, a South African based company, at 50% shareholding each. Botash is located on the Sua Pan in north eastern Botswana and began operating in April 1991. It is the largest producer of natural sodium and related products in the region, currently producing several variants of soda ash and salt. In the past, all activities of the company were undertaken on the Sua Pan – from production through to marketing, sales and administration. Today Botash has increased its footprint with fully operating offices in South Africa, dealing primarily with sales and marketing of Botash products. PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF BOTASH: Botash nameplate capacity for soda ash is 300 000 tonnes per annum while for salt it is about 650 000 tonnes per annum. Currently, salt production is around 420 000 tonnes per annum in line with demand. SCALE OF BUSINESS: Botash holds significant market share in different countries in Southern Africa. OUR BUSINESS MODEL: Our business relies on the following elements to sustain and deliver results that meets our customer needs: • Sustainability • Diversified natural products • High quality products • Geographic focus • Consistent delivery
“90% OF VANADIUM IS CONSUMED BY THE STEELMAKING INDUSTRY AS AN ALLOY-MAKING ELEMENT. WHILE THAT HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ALMOST A CENTURY, ANY MARKET WILL BENEFIT FROM DIVERSIFIED DEMAND PROFILE.”
USES OF BOTASH PRODUCTS: 1. SODA ASH 1.1 THE GLASS INDUSTRY: Soda Ash is used in the production of glass; e.g. container glass and float glass (78% by volume). 1.2 STEEL AND VANADIUM INDUSTRY: Soda ash is used in the processing of vanadium and steel (11% by volume). 1.3 CHEMICAL INDUSTRY: Botash dense and light soda ash are used in many chemical reactions to produce inorganic or organic compounds, that are in turn used in a range of different consumer and industrial applications (9% by volume) 2. SALT 2.1 CHEMICAL GRADE COARSE SALT: Contain 99.6% sodium chloride. This grade of salt is used primarily for the manufacture of caustic soda and chlorine which is an input in the production of poly vinyl chloride (PVC). 2.2 COARSE SALT: The food grade coarse salt produced contains 98.5 % sodium chloride. The coarse salt has various domestic applications such as in the preservation of food products. 2.3 FINE SALT: Fine salt (table or refined salt) contains 99.0 % sodium chloride. It has various industrial and domestic applications. As we strive for service excellence to our customers and stakeholders, we continue to measure, manage, communicate progress on our commitment to Safety, Health, Environment and Quality through the following management systems: Safety: BS OHSAS 18001:2007 Environment: ISO 14001: 2015 Quality: ISO 9001:2015
www.botash.bw platform, which will enable it to maintain a competitive position in the vanadium market. “We have enough processing capacity to almost triple our production from roughly 3,000 mtV to more than 8,400 mtV,” says Mojapelo. “Through Vametco and Vanchem we produce Nitrovan, ferrovanadium, vanadium oxides and vanadium chemicals. We have the most diverse vanadium product portfolio.” The company’s low-cost, scalable production base also allows it to build a pioneering downstream vanadium-based energy storage platform and thus enablinge Bushveld Minerals to play a key role across the VRFB value chain.
BATTERY POWERED
Demand from the battery storage sector could in turn boost demand for vanadium, and Bushveld Minerals is ready to take advantage of that opportunity.
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“90% of vanadium is consumed by the steelmaking industry as an alloy-making element. While that has been good for almost a century, any market will benefit from diversified demand profile,” Mojapelo tells us. “To give you some perspective on that market and how attractive it is, in 1980, 10% of the energy consumed worldwide was electrical. Today that figure is 20%. By 2050 it’s expected to be 45%. We’re seeing this big phenomenon of the electrification of everything from electric cars to personal devices. At the same time, we’re seeing a big push towards renewable green energy- driven among other things – by climate change concerns. The whole planet is changing its agenda and the traditional energy structure with the utility at the centre is facing a lot of disruption. We’re seeing more distributed energy systems that don’t need the utilities infrastructure to supply electricity for themselves.”
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WEICKL DSC - THE DEFINITION OF EXCELLENCE MEET WEICKL DSC – THE EXPERTS IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Is it time to change up your space? Enter WEICKL DSC – a boutique design consultancy with a passion for functional yet beautiful design and interiors. This dynamic team of industry professionals have extensive experience in a wide range of industries – from industrial and interior design, to sales, architectural design, quantity surveying and fabrication. Whether you’re looking for design, sourcing or consultation services, WEICKL DSC does it all – and more. Expect superior service that’s tailormade to suit your industry, budget, style and unique needs. KEY SERVICES & DESIGN SOLUTIONS INCLUDE: • Test Fit & Project Budgeting
• Interior Design and Space Planning
• Corporate Interior Construction
• Turnkey Project Management
• Office Equipment, Furniture Supply • ICT Infrastructure & Installation LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BUSHVELD MINERALS EXPANSION When it comes to a corporate interior design and build project such as the Bushveld Minerals expansion, you need a host of services to ensure that all your bases are covered. WEICKL DSC took on turnkey project management for the expansion, ensuring that it was completed within the budget and timeline. From design, budget management and interior construction, to the management of all related services such as HVAC, ICT infrastructure, audio visual equipment and conferencing setup – the company provided all these services while ensuring minimal impact on the on-going operations. So, would you say you’re in need of a change? Look no further. Contact WEICKL DSC for more information on interior design and construction services.
www.weickl.co.za
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Bushveld states that, Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts a 122-fold increase in demand for stationary energy storage alone by 2040, attracting 662 billion dollars in capital. But it’s not simply easy money. “We recognised that to capture a meaningful share of the market we would need to overcome challenges in the availability of vanadium in terms of supply, and the cost of vanadium compared to other batteries,” Mojapelo acknowledges. “The supply is important because there is a large battery being built in China, 800Mw hours using
400,000 tons of vanadium which represents 4% of global vanadium production and that’s just one project. If you look at the forecasts, we should see something like 100Gw hours in deployment. Even if you assume only 10-20% penetration, the amount of vanadium necessary to support that is 50-100% of global vanadium production last year. So we’ll need a lot of vanadium. Fortunately, there is plenty in the ground, we believe there’s more than enough vanadium to support this increase in demand.” The second challenge is the cost. Vanadium accounts for 30 to 40% of the price of a system depending on the price of vanadium at the time. “It’s one of the most volatile commodities from a price perspective which doesn’t help when you’re trying to bring the cost of a product down progressively,” Mojapelo admits. “So we’ve built a low-cost production base while
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integrating vertically upstream and downstream, to solve cost volatility.”
KEEPING SAFE
During 2020 the main focus for Bushveld Minerals has been to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business, primarily to prioritise the safety of its employees and host communities by putting in place measures to contain the spread of the virus in the workplace. “We recognised the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic early and moved quickly to take all necessary measures to create awareness, minimise transmission risks and establish intervention protocols for potential cases,” Mojapelo says. “We have changed the way we operate and amended shift patterns to adapt to the need for increased social distancing and to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.” At the same time, Bushveld has had to implement cash preservation measures by reducing its spend only to critical capex to manage near term liquidity while preserving the long term sustainability of the assets. “These measures have resulted in the deferment of some of our growth projects until the operating conditions stabilise,” Mojapelo tells us.
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Through this crisis, Bushveld’s people have been not only its top priority but its most valuable resource. “Bushveld Minerals employs exceptional people with outstanding capabilities and great potential in all areas of our business. Our business success is underpinned by having an inclusive culture which reflects the diversity of our employees,” Mojapelo says.
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“BUSHVELD MINERALS EMPLOYS EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE WITH OUTSTANDING CAPABILITIES AND GREAT POTENTIAL IN ALL AREAS OF OUR BUSINESS.” This new head office marks the beginning of Bushveld Minerals new five-year growth strategy that will ultimately lead to a production platform of over 8,400 mtVp.a. This strategy includes Vametco’s Phase Three expansion project to achieve a steady-state production run-rate of 4,200 mtVp.a. in 2025, Vanchem’s three-phase refurbishment programme to achieve a production of over 8,400mtV in 2025. Bushveld Energy, meanwhile, is set to become a leading energy storage player. “We are very optimistic about the future of vanadium,” Mojapelo tells us. “As the world emerges from COVID we will see an uptick in the construction space and greater demand for vanadium driven by standards put in place by markets such as China, to drive towards higher quality strength steels, alongside continuous growth of the energy storage sector on the back of the continual push to decarbonise energy.”
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SOLGOLD
SOLGOLD TALKS TO US ABOUT THE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD-CLASS COPPER-GOLD PROJECTS IN ECUADOR, & HOW THE COMPANY IS BUILDING A COPPER-GOLD MAJOR.
A WORLD-CLASS COPPER-GOLD PROJECT PROJECT MANAGED BY: NEIL STOWE
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SOLGOLD
SolGold began life as Solomon Gold, exploring for copper-gold porphyries in the Solomon Islands. “At the time, government relationships were tricky and the rainfall made it a difficult environment to work in so our geologists conducted a top-down search for where to go,” explains SolGold’s CEO, Nicholas Mather. “We knew the world was rapidly electrifying and urbanising and needing significant amounts of copper to do so. This meant heading to the most obvious location – the Andean Copper Belt.”
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E
cuador proved to be highly prospective and did not have a huge mineral mining industry, relying on oil revenue in the past. SolGold entered Ecuador in 2012 and to date has defined a worldclass copper-gold deposit with 21.7Moz gold, 9.9Mt copper and 92.2Moz silver at its flagship Alpala Project. “SolGold is focussed on the discovery and development of world-class copper-gold projects in Ecuador. SolGold is concentrating on the Ecuadorean section of the world’s richest copper-gold
belt, the Andean Copper Belt,” Mather tells us. “It’s 700km long, with three parallel metallogenic belts, which in northern Chile, contain 25% of the world’s copper resources and production. The geology is very similar and up until SolGold’s initial efforts in late 2013, there had been no serious porphyry exploration there at all.” SolGold knew there should be, and after the discovery of Alpala in the first drill hole, and particularly in holes five and nine, SolGold identified numerous other locations throughout Ecuador that boasted the same
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growth, geological features and opportunity for worldclass deposits, similar to or even better than Alpala. Today SolGold boasts a pipeline of opportunities with the same geology, same regulatory environment, same fiscal environment and the same social environment unrivalled by any company in the world.
A PIPELINE OF OPPORTUNITY
“SolGold’s focus on tier one projects gives us global relevance to capital markets and development funding opportunities and the opportunity to help transform Ecuador’s economy, currently based on tourism devices and agriculture,” Mather says. “SolGold is focussed on being best in class in the areas of mining technology development
using block caving, which is particularly suited to the vertically elongated shape of the Alpala deposit as well as a social and regulatory and environmental endorsement in Ecuador.” SolGold’s first project is the 85% owned Alpala project on the Cascabel license in northern Ecuador. Alpala is currently in the Pre-Feasibility Stage, intending to complete the full Feasibility Study by the end of 2021. SolGold’s regional exploration team continues to conduct surface exploration studies and prioritise targets on 13 other projects along the length of Ecuador at the same spatial frequency as major development projects in northern Chile. “All of the project areas host significant mineralised systems,
DEVIDRILL THE STANDARD IN DIRECTIONAL CORE DRILLING
“During the course of the Alpala drilling program the use of the Devico drilling technique delivered a saving of 23,997.6m of drilling, or approximately $12M USD.” Benn Whistler SolGold PLC
and several demonstrate high-grade outcrops and mineralisation systems in excess of 6km2. In many cases, surface mineralisation is more extensive and richer than what our geologists found at Alpala, and these projects are all 100% owned by SolGold,” Mather points out. “SolGold is planning significant drilling programmes on the five best targets as soon as possible, including Rio Amarillo, Porvenir and La Hueca Target 6. These targets are supported by promising surface exploration and geological surveys.” While the company has, so far, built its name as an explorer, SolGold is already taking the first, tentative steps into development. “The greatest value addition for shareholders comes from the discovery of a new virgin orebody. That was certainly the case for Alpala, which saw SolGold’s market capitalisation reach US$1 billion,” Mather says. “SolGold is working on Alpala’s transition into a developer, but we are ever mindful that there is nothing more effective than a discovery. SolGold’s unique pipeline of projects gives us an incomparable position to be an explorer, a developer and miner on several projects.”
“THE GREATEST VALUE ADDITION FOR SHAREHOLDERS COMES FROM THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW VIRGIN OREBODY.”
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SOLGOLD
THE CONTEXT OF OPPORTUNITY
SolGold’s projects don’t exist in a vacuum, however. The increase in the money supply from the central banks, for instance, has affected gold prices, while copper is equally sought after as a material for electronics. “The world is awash with money. Likewise, the world is a washed with expertise and these pools are available freely to junior explorers as much as major miners. SolGold can move faster and more efficiently than a major company and with considerable sensitivity to Ecuador’s fiscal requirements of Ecuadoreans,” Mather says. “SolGold’s development as a company, rather than just Alpala as a project, has been endorsed time and time again by the explosion of the money supply over the past ten years, resulting in a paradigm shift in the US dollar price. The global gentrification and electrification and the increasing electric demand by a rapidly urbanising global environment mean that copper is going to be heavily demanded. At the same time, copper resource grades, access to water and concentrate qualities have all been declining in a number of major mining projects globally, and this bodes well for the outlook for copper prices. In the period after World War Two, abundant capital and low-interest rates similarly saw strong programmes of industrial and infrastructure expenditure as global economies rebuilt. We expect the same macroeconomic drivers to underwrite increasing demand for the price of copper. SolGold is well placed to benefit from the increase in both copper and gold prices against the US dollar in the decades to come.” As well as keeping a careful eye on the economic
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environment, SolGold also pays close attention to social and environmental issues. “We take the view that the foundation for Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance is a real focus on a social license to operate. For most companies, a social license to operate is something that rolls off executives’ tongues, in SolGold we actually practice it,” Mather says. “ESG is a key feature of our activities and we involve the Ecuadorean people at all levels, as much as possible. We have a 98% workforce and we look after the communities; we endorse the requirements of local governments and we liaise with national governments to ensure we’re addressing industry requirements. We are actively involved with the communities surrounding Alpala and constantly work on evolving ESG programmes including plants in our on-site nursery, the bakery and chicken farms within the villages, fish farms on-site and improvements to facilities at local school and community areas. SolGold also places huge importance on education and we have a number of sponsorships and partnerships with local universities.” Looking forward, Mather’s optimistic about SolGold’s prospects. “In five years, SolGold is aiming to be in production at Alpala and working on feasibility studies and exploration programmes on its 13 other projects,” he says. “It’s too early to speculate on what we may be valued at or capitalised at, but the upside is massive. We’re building a major gold and copper mining company and it’s going to produce nearly as much value in copper as it does gold - that is exciting.”
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WILUNA MINING CORPORATION LIMITED
A NEW IDENTITY AND A NEW SET OF STRATEGIC AMBITIONS SIGNAL THE BEGINNING OF A TRANSFORMATIONAL AGE FOR ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S MAJOR GOLD PRODUCERS.
ENTER THE
GOLDEN ERA PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER Wiluna Mining Corporation Limited, formerly known as Blackham Resources Limited, is a Perth-based, Australian gold producer. The company’s 100 per cent owned Wiluna Mining Operation has 6.4 million ounces of resources and 1.4 million ounces of reserves set within a 1,600 square kilometre tenement package in one of the world’s most prolific gold regions – the Northern Goldfields of Western Australia. In May 2019, the company was taken over by a new and highly skilled management team, who have since given it a new identity and outlined ambitious plans to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation’s multi-million-ounce potential.
S
pearheaded by Executive Chairman, Milan Jerkovic, the company is on an aggressive growth trajectory to build a respected mining company that creates long-term stakeholder value. Jerkovic and his team are keen to emphasise that the company’s new identity is more than skin deep; it represents an important step towards rebuilding a company culture that will help it achieve its overarching vision: identifying, developing and producing regional, geologically
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superior, natural resources, that ultimately deliver a positive return for stakeholders. “The name change to ‘Wiluna Mining’ represents a new chapter in the Wiluna story. The name change is more than cosmetic; it is an important step in culturally building our business to be united under a new identity. It speaks to our new aspiration, purpose, and ultimately our strategic vision for transformational future growth,” states the organisation.
WILUNA MINING CORPORATION LIMITED
INSTILLING A CULTURE OF PROFITABILITY
At Wiluna Mining Corporation, the executive leadership team truly believe that profitability starts with company culture. As such, they have dedicated significant time to outlining and their vision and values as an organisation and sharing those values with their employees. Wiluna Mining Corporation has outlined seven cultural pillars to help it achieve success. Those pillars are courage, tenacity, perseverance, innovation, teamwork, transparency and compassion. From encouraging employees to take measured risks and fostering a culture of innovation to instilling an ethos of compassion, individuality and teamwork;
from promoting corporate transparency to unreservedly focusing on delivering on their promises as an organisation, Wiluna Mining Corporation is dedicated to achieving success sustainably and ethically. “Our people are smart, well trained, exceptionally hardworking, and disciplined. We apply that intelligence, training and discipline to the work we do, and in carrying out our mission of building profitable mines,” states the company. The company is proud of the culture it has developed and continues to develop with the support of its workforce and stakeholders. “We genuinely care for our team – that is our workforce, our shareholders and our stakeholders,” it says. “We are open, honest
GOING THE DISTANCE WA
MCMAHON Burnett Transport is a privately-owned company that provides freight services to customers across WA. McMahon Burnett Transport managing director Santo Guagliardo has been involved in the transport industry for close to 40 years, starting with his father in the north west of WA in the 1960s as a driver and now owning one of the most innovative transport companies in the State. The evolution of the business to its current form, McMahon Burnett Transport, has happened through good management skills, dedicated staff, and a devotion to customers’ needs. We serve customers throughout WA and has depots in Kalgoorlie, Onslow, Cue, Mt Magnet, Laverton, Leonora, Wiluna and Leinster. We’re specialists in all forms of mine freight, and service many major mines in WA, as well as handling oversize, dangerous goods and catering freight. Recently, the company launched an online booking system, where customers can place a booking, print consignments, and monitor proof of delivery via their phone. It’s an innovative new system, McMahon Burnett Transport said has been well received by its existing customer base. Further information can be found at www.mcmahonburnett.com.au or by contacting Perth branch logistics manager Dennis Scanlan direct on 0409 445 904.
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and transparent – two-way communication with our shareholders and stakeholders is of the highest importance.” The company is dedicated to becoming an excellent place to work as well as an outstanding place to invest. Through innovation, bold decision making, unshakable strength, hard-work and resolve the business aims to help its people, its stakeholders and its executive committee thrive and grow.
“OUR PEOPLE ARE SMART, WELL TRAINED, EXCEPTIONALLY HARDWORKING, AND DISCIPLINED. WE APPLY THAT INTELLIGENCE, TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE TO THE WORK WE DO, AND IN CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION OF BUILDING PROFITABLE MINES.” BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The executive team at Wiluna Mining Corporation measures success as much by the contribution it makes to society and the environment as it does by the returns it delivers to its stakeholders. “Core to our focus on the triple bottom line, is creating shared value for all our stakeholders – we strive to enrich the lives of our workforce, have a positive impact in the community, and operate in an environmentally responsible manner that contributes to the
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WILUNA MINING CORPORATION LIMITED
broader economy,” says the executive leadership team. Wiluna Mining Corporation distils its sustainability agenda into three core areas of focus; its people, its community and the environment. The company takes pride in its robust health and safety protocols, which encompass mental and emotional support for its workforce. Furthermore, it is proud of its commitment to respect and empower the local community through meaningful partnerships. “Underpinning our operation is a deep respect for the local Wiluna community in which we are fortunate to operate,” says the company. “This respect for cultural heritage and diversity informs our community programs where we seek to invest.” As an example, Wiluna Mining Corporation supports many local initiatives through the Murlpirrmarra Connection, a
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not-for-profit organisation that exists to provide Aboriginal youth in the remote communities of Wiluna, Leonora and surrounding regions in Western Australia, with educational opportunities. Wiluna Mining Corporation also takes a proactive approach to mitigate and minimise its impact on the environment. The organisation is committed to complying to all relevant legislation, regulations, policies, codes and standards and, where possible takes pride in going above and beyond the minimum requirements. The company’s commitment to building a sustainable business ‘today, tomorrow and in the future’ is applaudable.
DEVELOPING STRONG FOUNDATIONS
The board of directors are responsible for the corporate governance of the company.
Despite being relatively newly formed as a team, the executive committee is united by a common goal: ‘to provide an acceptable rate of return to the company’s stakeholders taking into account the interests of all relevant stakeholders including its employees and the communities in which it operates’. Jerkovic and his team are steadfast in their obligation to run the business sustainably, ethically and profitably. As the company beds into its new chapter, it is clear that Jerkovic and his team are the right people to lead the business towards its longterm strategic aims. Their approach to business is bold, fearless and innovative; they are willing to go the extra mile to build and sustain an ethical, environmentally conscious, and thriving business; and they have outlined a clear path to achieve transformational growth.
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NAMCOR
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NAMCOR
WE LEARN HOW NAMIBIA’S STATE-OWNED OIL COMPANY IS REMAINING COMPETITIVE AGAINST INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS.
NAMIBIA’S OWN OIL PROJECT MANAGED BY: JAMIE WAITE
Namcor is the oil company of the Republic of Namibia, 100% owned by the state and with a mandate to operate in both the advancing and extracting sectors of the oil industry. From the very beginning, their mission has been to enter into and maintain successful and mutually beneficial partnerships, to offer convenience, quality products and services to its customers, and to offer a motivating, engaging, high-performing, safe and rewarding work environment to its staff. Namcor is a company that aims to meet shareholder’s expectations by running profitable and successful operations while acting as a responsible corporate citizen which is mindful of the community and the environment in which it operates.
Immanuel Mulunga, CEO of Namcor.
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“W
e’re uniquely positioned to participate in all the exploration licenses of the country and we also do business in the commercial sales sector and retail sector,” says Immanuel Mulunga, CEO of Namcor. “We are obviously competing with international oil marketing companies who are present in Namibia.” While Namcor is operating in a highly competitive market space, the company is forging ahead thanks to their strong sense of Namibian identity. “Our selling point is that we are a Namibian entity for Namibians, and we want to create value for all of our stakeholders. We want to sell to our customers while keeping the profits inside the country,” Mulunga says. “Obviously, the biggest challenge is gaining a bigger market share. We are a small company compared to our competitors, and because we are a stateowned entity, we have to work under rules that make us a little bit less competitive in the market. So we have to overcome those challenges as we do business.”
Achieving a competitive position in the oil market as a relatively small, state-owned player is no small challenge, but it’s one that Namcor is more than ready to take on. “We have less experience than our competitors when it comes to retail, storage, and we are still relying on help from the government,” Mulunga says. “We overcome these challenges by taking them head-on. We leverage our position as a national company, and we are making inroads. We have started importing our products and we are able to offer competitive prices.”
SUPERIOR SERVICE
The company is also working to expand into new market sectors, creating new business and a new brand for itself. “We have recently entered the retail space. We started constructing service stations and retail sites that are superior in look and feel,” Mulunga points out. “We are also endeavouring to provide a superior service to our customers.”
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NAMCOR
Of course, the provision of that superior service is built on a foundation of great people, and this is one area where Namcor has a wealth of resources at its disposal. “Fortunately, we have the skills in Namibia for the positions we need to fill in Namcor. It has been very successful. The reason for that is because of the leadership Namcor has provided through the quality and character of our managing director,” Mulunga says. “We believe a lot of people are willing to come on board and join the project that we are embarking on to create a large enough competitive national oil company. It excites everybody and people want to participate in that kind of project.” The staff undergoes extensive training, although thanks to
Logic Lubricants
Namcor’s ability to draw in talent they rarely have to worry about teaching the fundamentals. “In terms of training, it’s something we continue you do to fill the gaps in employees’ knowledge. We tend to hire people who already have the experience, so we miss out on a lot of the elementary training,” Mulunga tells us.
A NAMIBIAN FUTURE
One challenge that has hit oil companies from giant multinationals to smaller stateowned businesses has been the COVID-19 pandemic, and Mulunga is blunt about the effect of the crisis. “It’s obviously affected our business negatively. We believe we will not meet the budgeted sales targets and profit margins,” he says. “I
think that goes without saying. What we’ve done is we’ve gone back and revisited our budget figures. We have also gone on a serious cost-cutting exercise, to make sure that we cut our expenditures proportionally so we can still make a profit but it will be difficult. A lot of programmes and budget items have been put on ice. We are travelling less, naturally, those costs have been cut.” While some cost-cutting has been necessary, however, Namcor’s priorities remain the same. “We are continuing to look for customers and even during this COVID-19 time we’ve increased our market share,” Mulunga states. “We have some landlocked companies that we were able to help through the export market.”
(Pty) Ltd.
Choose Logic Lubricants
Logic Lubricants (Pty) Ltd. started operations in 2016 by introducing the Eni (previously known as AGIP) Lubricants Brand into Namibia for the first time. Logic Lubricants’ specific focus is on the Petroleum sector through the marketing of a comprehensive lubricant range of Eni Lubricants, manufactured and packed by Eni S.p.a. Marketing and Refining Division, Livorno, Italy. The marketing of the ENI brand is through a number of sectors indicating the extent of the ENI product portfolio. ENI engages in oil and natural gas exploration, field development and production, mainly in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Algeria, Angola, Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Norway, Kazakhstan, UK, The United States and Venezuela, overall in 42 countries, and now also in Namibia.
“WE ARE LIKE A BIG JUMBO JET SITTING ON THE TARMAC, WAITING TO TAKE OFF.”
The Logic Lubricants team comes with a wealth of experience in the lubricant and lubrication field, with a very good understanding of the customer’s needs across the different industry sectors. We understand through years of experience that your business and its requirements are unique. Where possible, we will customize solutions to suit your business needs. We offer professional quality services provided by a highly-motivated team, with a strong technical background in Marine, Industrial and Automotive industries. Logic Lubricants provides services to various industry sectors such as construction, mining, industrial, agriculture, automotive and marine. We also provide storage and handling solutions, OEM-specific lubrication recommendations, Preventative Maintenance Programs, Oil Analyses as well as afterhours emergency deliveries.
Contact Us No.8 6th Street-East, Walvis Bay, Namibia Tel: +264 64 22 14 32 / +264 64 22 14 77 Fax: +264 64 22 1460 Email. ursula@logiclubes.com www.logiclubes.com
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NAMCOR
Indeed, looking beyond the COVID-19 pandemic Mulunga is extremely optimistic about what the future of Namcor holds, for the company, and the country. “We have an exciting future here with us. Namcor is always improving. We are like a big jumbo jet sitting on the tarmac, waiting to take off,” Mulunga
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says enthusiastically. “We’ve done a lot of groundwork to get us to this stage. We’ve just rolled out retail service stations and want to continue to build them. We’ve got a storage facility that’s being completed by the end of this year, and in order to secure financial sustainability in the future, we have decided
to go after some production internationally so we don’t have to rely on levies from the government in the foreseeable future. I’m excited to be leading Namcor to become not only a fully integrated oil company but one that can stand on its own feet in the next couple of years.”
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POLARCUS
WE LEARN HOW A HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION COMPANY IS PLAYING THEIR ROLE IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION WHICH REMAINS RELIANT ON RESPONSIBLE HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION FOR THE COMING DECADES.
EXPLORATION & OPPORTUNITY PROJECT MANAGED BY: DAVID TAVERNOR
Polarcus entered the marine seismic exploration arena in 2009, delivering upstream oilfield services to the offshore oil and gas industry. Headquartered in the Middle East with offices in Houston, London, Oslo and Singapore the company provides services to exploration and production (E&P) companies globally, from Norway to Australia, from Brazil to Sakhalin and everywhere in between.
“W
e provide clients with a subsurface image for an offshore area of interest. They then make operational and economic decisions based on that information to evaluate the production of hydrocarbons,” says Duncan Eley, CEO of Polarcus. “We are about responsibly de-risking the oil and gas value chain.” The company was founded in 2008, building six vessels in the Middle East and two in Norway to enter the high-end 3D marine seismic acquisition space. Each Polarcus ship is designed to tow 12-14 seismic “streamers” through the water at a depth 10-20 metres below the surface of the water. Water depths for seismic exploration vary greatly, between 20m and 4,000m. Each streamer is typically up to 10km long and the separation of
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MULTIPLE SERVICES
ONE SOURCE VESSEL AGENCY
SUPPORT BASE OPERATIONS
WARE HOUSING
HELICOPTER SERVICES
DEN HELDER | IJMUIDEN | AMSTERDAM | EEMSHAVEN
DHSS For decades we at DHSS are involved in supporting the oil & gas industry with exploring offshore energy, which all starts with mapping the seabed through seismic surveys. It takes a special kind of operator to work offshore – and a special kind of service provider to assist. Seismic surveys, Drilling operations and laying pipes, delivering essential personnel and materials are core requirements for successful work offshore, whether it is in survey, construction, oil & gas or project logistics. Our partnership approach has led to various long term contracts. DHSS has the experience, expertise and strength to meet any offshore support requirements. With our in-depth expertise and history of working in the oil & gas industry, in all segments, we understand the needs of today’s clients. While our clients need to focus on most efficient utilization and productivity of offshore assets, our priority is to deliver superior services, in most cost effective way. All of our marine support operations are fully compliant with international safety standards. We are a reliable partner which delivers high quality logistics and supply chain solutions to operators in the oil & gas industry. Whether they are engaged in mapping the seabed, offshore exploration, construction or production, our clients can lean on us to support their operations safely and efficiently – 24/7. From seismic surveys to the operation and maintenance phase of offshore energy assets, our services span the entire life cycle, bringing benefits for partners, clients and investors at every stage. We aim to be recognized by our stakeholders as the partner of choice in all our service
• Seismic Supply • Crew Tender • Support • Guard • AHTS
Rederij Groen Offshore, Guard & Support
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With DHSS as the ideal gateway to offshore energy sites and locations, clients can trust on having a reliable partner for port and helicopter logistics. Our concept simplifies multiple port-call and helicopter operations whilst ensuring that our clients’ needs are always met. Our network of offices combined with our competence and experience puts us in a unique position to provide a complete package of services wherever required. It makes DHSS the reliable partner of choice for your offshore energy projects, as both vessel and helicopter logistics are important commodities for successful operations offshore. Nowadays more than 80% of the world’s total energy consumption still comes from fossil fuels, but the world is in a transition period. Climate change is a reality and the conditions of life on our planet is changing rapidly, hence why we play our part in sustainability and care most about how efficient we can support our clients with sustainable offshore energy logistics; both in Oil & Gas as well as in Offshore Wind Industries. By running our support bases at A1 located spots, situated on walk-2-work distance, in marshalling ports and at offshore helicopter bases. DHSS – One source, multiple solutions. www.dhss.nl
“WE SET SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS, MEASURE AGAINST THEM AND DEMONSTRATE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.”
We provide offshore vessels worldwide:
Dr. Lelykade 156 2583 CN The Hague The Netherlands T: +31 70 3382980 E: operations@rederijgroen.nl
areas. The way in which we behave while working towards achieving this vision is fundamental to our success. In everything we do, we are resourceful and responsive to our customers’ needs. Innovative in the solutions we apply to everyday’ s challenges.
www.rederijgroen.nl
the streamers is 100m meaning that each vessel is towing highly sensitive recording equipment through the water that is around 1.5km wide and 10km long! This gives you an idea of the scale of the equipment Polarcus vessels are towing through the water to create an accurate sub-surface image of what is happening beneath the earth’s crust. “We successfully entered the high-end 3D marine seismic acquisition sector and built market share solidly from 2009 to 2013. From the oil price crash of 2014, the key has been navigating the external environment to ensure Polarcus remains competitive in the sector and continues to build on
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POLARCUS
the reputation we have created with all major E&P companies around the world,” Eley tells us. “A key differentiator of the Polarcus service offering has been our unique environmental agenda, known as Explore Green™ which is central to the sustainability of our business and resonates strongly with many clients”.
EXPLORE GREEN™
From the very beginning, Eley has been a firm believer that sustainability, and the environmental commitment of Polarcus, should remain strategic priorities for the Company. “For the coming decades, hydrocarbons are going to
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be a critical resource across the globe as we transition to different sources of energy,” Eley says. “Hydrocarbons must be identified and produced in the most environmentally responsible manner possible. A key component of the Polarcus offering to clients is the vessel design and operational methodologies that will ensure this can happen.” All Polarcus vessels feature a double-hull design to avoid any chance of fuel spills, alongside other leading maritime technologies such as ballast water management treatment, bilge water cleaning systems and catalytic converters that can remove harmful greenhouse gases from the ship’s exhaust. “We have committed to being at the forefront of optimizing the environmental footprint of the marine seismic acquisition industry,” Eley tells us. “We are one of the only companies that report quarterly emissions to air for our global operations. Clients are now seeing that by engaging Polarcus they are improving their own environmental footprint – which is becoming more and more important to their own stakeholders.” These efforts have achieved recognition worldwide, and a direct consequence of the Explore Green™ initiative is that Polarcus has one of the only maritime fleets worldwide that has Triple E™ certification from DNV-GL. “We set environmental targets, measure against them and demonstrate continuous improvement,” Eley explains. “This environmental commitment is gaining more and more traction with our clients, investors, and regulators around the world. Despite the tough global economic conditions, our focus on the environment remains unwavering.”
While minimizing the environmental impacts of traditional seismic exploration and production optimization has been central to Polarcus’ offering several specific opportunities have arisen. “An interesting niche area has seen several clients engaging us to identify empty reservoirs for carbon capture and storage for national decarbonization strategies. We have carried out such projects in Norway, Japan and Australia, defining subsurface structures suitable for various industrial operations that need to capture and store carbon,” Eley explains. Sustainability is a central part of Polarcus’ strategy, and the environmental focus is only one element of this. “For Polarcus, sustainability incorporates an environmental pledge, a social commitment and a corporate governance obligation. In addition to our very visible environmentally focused initiatives, we also carefully look at how we interact with, and optimise the lives of our employees and the communities in which we operate globally,” Eley says. “In addition, the corporate governance aspects include strict monitoring of how the company is structured and administrated. All these elements we describe in detail in our annual Polarcus Sustainability Report.”
INNOVATING TO OVERCOME
Since its inception, Polarcus has encountered significant headwinds in terms of the global financial crisis from 2008, the oil price crisis from 2014, followed by the COVID-19 and associated oil price crash in 2020. “Our culture has been built by harnessing innovation to navigate our way through several challenging periods,” Eley points out. “What’s come out of this has been extremely
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POLARCUS
positive and as an example this links directly back to our pioneering Explore Green™ agenda which is ultimately about operational efficiency, decreasing fuel consumption, reducing emissions and minimising damage to the environment. That efficiency drive in our offshore and onshore operations has been really important from both financial and environmental sustainability perspectives.” Indeed, Polarcus is looking at instigating further, significant changes in the way they do things. The volume of data that Polarcus vessels record is so large that the means of delivering the final subsurface imaging data to clients is changing. Traditionally the data was recorded on tape or hard drives which are then shipped from the vessel to the shoreside and then onward to the client’s office. Polarcus CIRRUS™ offering enables far more efficient delivery of data with a greatly reduced carbon footprint. “Delivering high-quality data to our clients in real-time has been a strategic priority. We are now able to deliver this data directly from the vessel to the clients’ office via high bandwidth satellite which can greatly accelerate our clients’ decision making,” says Eley. “By using data compression, satellite transmission and the cloud for optimized data processing we are able to demonstrate innovation, efficiency combined with reduced environmental impact.” The old saying about necessity being the mother of invention finds proof in the way Polarcus has evolved the company and improved the marine seismic acquisition industry more broadly. “When many companies were trying to increase efficiency through adding more streamers in the water, we disrupted that approach by deploying
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more energy resources which is much more efficient from the perspectives of imaging quality, fuel efficiency, CAPEX investment and health and safety exposure,” states Eley. Polarcus has also innovated in its business model. In addition to the traditional marine acquisition global spot market, Polarcus, through close relationships with various national oil companies and service providers, has also been able to sell and charter several of its vessels and combine these arrangements with technical services agreements. “Through these close relationships, we have been able to train personnel in our clients’ organizations and provide ongoing support of their seismic operations. Such a collaborative approach has been key to unlocking further opportunities in what would have been otherwise closed markets to Polarcus.”
WHAT IS NEXT FOR POLARCUS?
The application of new technologies, or applying existing technologies in new combinations, is opening up exciting possibilities for Polarcus going forward.
“Polarcus sees a very interesting opportunity in “hybrid” acquisition which combines the towed streamer technology that Polarcus provides with ocean bottom nodes,” Eley tells us. “Ocean bottom nodes is a sister marine seismic segment using more complex operations to deploy sensors on the ocean floor rather than towing them through the water. We see a number of operational synergies between towed streamer and node acquisition with the ultimate outcome that we can deliver our clients a seamless subsurface image over areas with obstructions or specific imaging challenges which ocean bottom nodes can help to unlock”. This combination of towed streamer and ocean bottom nodes (OBN) provides the bestof-both technologies with highquality subsurface images and a broader and more economical basin-wide view of the reservoir to provide accurate big picture context, in addition to a very detailed seismic image. Indeed, that combination of big picture vision while still capturing the details is a perfect metaphor for how Polarcus works.
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TH
International exhibition and conference on valve and flow control technologies